HOUSE OF COMMONS

Portcullis House

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Chairman of the Accommodation and Works Committee for how many days in the last six months the water feature in Portcullis House has had no water in it; and if he will make a statement.

Derek Conway: No record has been kept of the number of days but I recognise that they have been too many.
	The contractor has had to carry out a number of tasks during the defects period. After the original contractor for the courtyard stone (which included the water feature) went into liquidation, there was some delay to the work but during the summer the inadequate chemical dosing pumps were replaced and the spread of algae has been stopped. A leak in the tank under the stone table is now awaiting repair. Discussions are taking place with the company that has taken over the business to arrange for all the outstanding snags to be put right under the terms of the contract.

Working Families Tax Credit

Frank Field: To ask the President of the Council what percentage of (a) House of Commons staff and officers and (b) hon. Members' staff are in receipt of Working Families Tax Credit.

Robin Cook: The costs of House of Commons staff is borne on the Administration Vote, which is the responsibility of the House of Commons Commission and the cost of Members' staff is borne on the Members Vote. I am informed the figures for September 2001 are:
	(a) Staff of the House (including casuals) 1.2 per cent.;
	(b) Members' staff (including casuals) 1.3 per cent.

WALES

Rail Services

Lembit �pik: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions regarding the establishment of a single all-Wales rail franchise; and if he will make a statement.

Don Touhig: My right hon. Friend meets regularly with the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions to discuss a range of issues affecting Wales.
	The Assembly Minister for the Environment, Sue Essex, and I have also met the Minister for Transport to discuss the future structure of rail services in Wales.

Student Finance

Lembit �pik: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales 
	(1)  what discussions he has had with the Education Minister of the National Assembly for Wales regarding the recommendations of the Rees report on student finance;
	(2)  what representations he has made to the Department for Education and Skill's review of student finance in the context of the Rees report on student finance; and if he will make a statement.

Don Touhig: Discussions on the report have taken place at ministerial level between the Assembly and UK Government Departments.
	Following the Rees report the Assembly took immediate action to tackle student hardship in Wales by putting 20 million into student access and hardship funds for this year. The Assembly is giving further consideration to the other recommendations in the report.
	The Government are committed to reforming the student funding system. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Skills has announced a review of student support arrangements which will look at student support and tuition fees.

Hospitals (Staff-patient Communication)

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales 
	(1)  what measures are in place to improve the capacity of (a) doctors and (b) nurses to communicate with and understand patients in hospitals in the Principality;
	(2)  what recent assessment he has made of the capacity of (a) doctors and (b) nurses to communicate with and understand patients, and vice versa, in hospitals in the Principality;
	(3)  if he will ask the Welsh Executive to undertake a customer satisfaction survey on the capacity of (a) doctors and (b) nurses to communicate with and understand patients, and vice versa, in hospitals in the Principality.

Don Touhig: The health service in Wales is the responsibility of the National Assembly for Wales.
	On 2 February 2001 the Assembly published Improving Health in Wales, which sets a programme of action for the next 10 years. It includes a commitment that training will be made available to staff in effective communication with patients and handling their concerns positively.
	The Assembly is also committed to ensuring that there is continuous feedback from the public about the services they receive from the national health service in Wales.

Departmental Properties

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will estimate the total running costs for buildings used, owned or rented by his Department for each nation and region of the UK, and estimate the average cost per square metre for properties used by his Department as a whole, and by region and nation of the UK.

Paul Murphy: The Wales Office rents accommodation in Cardiff Bay which, over the last 12 months, has cost some 99,000 or about 355 per sq m. The Department also owns Gwydyr House in London which, in 200001, cost some 420,000 or about 670 per sq m. The figure for Gwydyr House includes a major refurbishment project carried out during the year.

DEFENCE

Territorial Army

Paul Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what (a) the overall wastage level from the Territorial Army and (b) the target level was in each of the last 5 years; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what (a) the required trained strength, (b) the actual trained strength and (c) the percentage shortfall of the Territorial Army was in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  how many members of the Territorial Army achieved their bounty in training years (a) 199899, (b) 19992000 and (c) 200001; and if he will make a statement.

Lewis Moonie: holding answer 19 October 2001
	The Ministry of Defence defines Territorial Army (TA) Personnel who have passed all their annual individual and collective training requirements as Fit for Role. Figures showing the strength of the TA are reported quarterly to the House of Commons Defence Committee and are available in the Library of the House.
	Wastage figures and the numbers of TA Personnel who are assessed as Fit for Role are presented in the table.
	
		
			  Wastage Numbers Fit for Role (FFR)  
			  Overall wastage Target wastage Percentage Numbers assessed as FFR Target FFR level Percentage shortfall 
		
		
			 2001 10,834 10,077 25 23,857 24,185 1.4 
			 2000 13,084 10,861 25 19,589 26,068 25 
			 1999 15,530 12,610 25 24,914 30,245 18 
			 1998 12,444 13,893 25 n/a 33,344 n/a 
			 1997 15,010 16,860 30 n/a 33,722 n/a 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Outflow and FFR numbers are calculated annually on 1 April.
	2. FFR data for 1997 and 1998 are not available.
	3. The outflow target was revised in 1998, at the start of the SDR TA re-structuring exercise.
	4. The shortfall in FFR numbers is due to SDR reductions in the TA.
	The numbers of TA personnel who were assessed as Fit for Role in 1997 and 1998 are not available at this time. Officials are investigating this and I will write to the hon. Member once I know the outcome and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House. In terms of bounty, the numbers of TA personnel who achieved their bounty in training years 199899, 19992000 and 200001 are as follows:
	
		
			  Numbers 
		
		
			 199899 31,721 
			 19992000 26,005 
			 200001 24,019

Armed Forces

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the (a) trained strength and (b) trained requirement is of the (i) Army, (ii) Naval Service and (iii) Royal Air Force.

Adam Ingram: I refer the hon. Member to the Tri Service Personnel monthly publication UK Armed Forces Strengths and RequirementsTSP3 which is held in the Library of the House.

Sovereign Bases

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to make a statement on the implications of the case of Lt. Colonel Surinder Nath Saggar of Brompton on Swale, North Yorkshire.

Adam Ingram: The Tribunal's written decision was received on 12 October 2001 and legal advice has been sought on the implications. Once that advice has been considered the position is clearer, I will write to the right hon. Member and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

Sovereign Bases

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many cases have been brought against the Ministry of Defence under the Race Relations Act 1976 by service men serving on sovereign bases overseas; and what the outcome of each case was.

Adam Ingram: There has been only one such claim. This claim was brought by Lt. Colonel Surinder Nath Saggar and was dismissed by the Thornaby on Tees Employment Tribunal for lack of jurisdiction on 18 September 2001.

Service Men (Commonwealth and Republic of Ireland)

Desmond Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many service men are from (a) Commonwealth countries and (b) the Republic of Ireland.

Adam Ingram: The table details the current nationality of those serving in the Army at 1 September 2001 from Commonwealth countries and the Republic of Ireland.
	
		
			  Commonwealth countries Republic of Ireland 
		
		
			 Officers 160 22 
			 Soldiers 1,535 195 
			  
			 Total 1,695 217 
		
	
	Data for the Royal Navy and the RAF could be provided only at disproportionate cost as details on nationality are not held centrally.

Chemical and Biological Weapons

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what measures he has put in place to protect his Department's and armed services personnel from mail that may be contaminated with chemical or biological weapons.

Adam Ingram: In common with other Government Departments, the Ministry of Defence has for many years had guidance in place on how to recognise and deal with suspect letters and parcels containing explosive devices. In the wake of current events in the United States, the Cabinet Office has prepared additional guidance on the handling of suspect CB-contaminated mail. This guidance has been widely disseminated within MOD to civilian and service personnel. The potential threat, and the guidance and other precautionary measures required, are being kept under constant review, and full account is being taken of the developing situation in the United States.

RAF Pilots

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the fully trained and operational requirement is for (a) RAF pilots to fly Sea Harriers and (b) Fleet Air Arm pilots to fly Harrier GR7; and how many there are at present in each case.

Adam Ingram: Joint Force Harrier (JFH) operates Harrier GR7 flown by RAF pilots and Sea Harrier FA2 flown by RN pilots. GR7 is a ground attack aircraft, whereas FA2 is predominantly air defence. Each complements the other so that JFH has a rounded operational capability. Both RN and RAF aircrew are capable of operating from aircraft carriers in their own aircraft type, and both work closely together when embarked in carriers and when ashore. There is, though, no operational requirement for pilots of one Harrier aircraft type to fly the other. If there was a requirement for GR7 pilots to fly the FA2 or vice versa this could be achieved once operational conversion training had been completed. However, there exists an RAF/RN-wide pilot exchange programme which shares operational experience by providing flying tours with the other service. On this programme, currently there are (a) two RAF pilots flying the Sea Harrier, both from the Tornado F3, and (b) one RN (but non-Sea Harrier) pilot training to fly the Tornado GR4.

Defence Logistics Organisation

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the sum provided was for the Defence Logistics Organisation at the start of the current financial year; and what the latest projected outturn figure is.

Adam Ingram: Under Resource Accounting and Budgeting, the Defence Logistics Organisation (DLO) was issued with two Expenditure Limits at the start of the current financial year: for Current Expenditure and Capital Expenditure. Together they amount to Estimates provision of 4,033 million for the logistic support of the armed forces. In the normal course of business there are adjustments to these limits as the year unfolds, which will be finalised in time for inclusion in the spring Supplementary Estimates. We would expect the DLO expenditure to be within the Estimates provision at the year end.

Gulf War Veterans (Pensions)

Kevin McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many former service men who served in the Gulf are in receipt of war pensions; and if he will indicate the rank of the pensioner and the number in receipt of pensions who were injured by enemy action.

Lewis Moonie: As at 31 August, 4,111 awards of disablement pension had been made to Gulf War Veterans, although of these, only 1,038 were awarded for Gulf-related illnesses. The remaining 3,073 were for conditions that either occurred during the Gulf veterans' service career elsewhere than the Gulf or were for conditions not particular to the Gulf.
	Statistics are not held on either the former rank of the war disablement pensioner or whether the award of the pension was as a result of enemy action.

Apache Helicopter

Desmond Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 22 October 2001, Official Report, column 4W, on the Apache helicopter programme, (a) how many personnel are being trained in the US, (b) what training is being provided and (c) what the cost is to the defence budget.

Adam Ingram: Sixteen army helicopter pilots are undergoing what is known as conversion training in the US at a cost of 3.15 million. This training, including the use of simulators, will qualify them to fly the US Apache AH-64A model; they will then undertake a short conversion in the UK to the UK's Apache AH Mk1 model. The cost of this US training is being met from liquidated damages the Department has received from its training contractor and from existing funds that would otherwise have been paid to that contractor for training courses which it cannot yet produce (as a result of the delay to the Full Mission Simulator).

Army (Light-armoured Capability)

Desmond Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  if he will identify the components which make up the Future Rapid Effects System;
	(2)  if he will make a statement on the Army's future light armoured capability.

Lewis Moonie: The Army's light-armoured vehicle capability will be provided within the Future Rapid Effects System (FRES). The exact components of FRES have yet to be decided, but it is likely to include such platforms as an armoured personnel carrier, guided weapons platform, command vehicle, reconnaissance platform, ambulance and repair and recovery vehicle. FRES will draw heavily on a number of technologies developed through the TRACER programme.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Parliamentary Questions

Colin Breed: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when she will provide a substantive reply to the question from the hon. Member for South-East Cornwall, to which a holding reply was sent on 9 July.

Kim Howells: The Department did not issue any holding replies to the hon. Member on 9 July. The only named day question tabled by the hon. Member for answer on 9 July was to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs about the artificial reef project off Whitsand Bay. That question was answered by my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 10 July 2001, Official Report, column 485W.

Marconi Transmission Centenary

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans her Department has made to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the first successful wireless transmission across the Atlantic Ocean to the Americas.

Kim Howells: holding answer 23 October 2001
	I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to him by my hon. Friend the Minister for E-Commerce and Competitiveness on 24 October 2001, Official Report, columns 25051W.

Gambling Review

Brian Iddon: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many responses she has received following publication of Sir Alan Budd's gambling review; and how many of these refer to recommendation 70.

Kim Howells: The consultation period for the report of the Gambling Review Body closes on 31 October. We have so far received about 1,500 responses, the great majority relating to recommendation 70.

Gambling Review

Brian Iddon: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment she has made of the likely impact of implementing recommendation 70 in Sir Alan Budd's gambling review.

Kim Howells: We shall make such an assessment following the closure, on 31 October, of the consultation period on the report of the Gambling Review Body.

Millennium Dome

Tim Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport on what dates (a) she and (b) other Ministers in her Department have visited the Millennium Dome since 8 June.

Kim Howells: Neither my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State nor any other DCMS Minister has visited the Millennium Dome since 8 June 2001. Responsibility for the Dome passed from the New Millennium Experience Company to English Partnerships on 1 July 2001.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Foot and Mouth

Brian Cotter: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  how the foot and mouth disease relief funding announced on Thursday 18 October will be allocated;
	(2)  which Regional Development Agencies will receive additional funding as part of the extension of the Business Recovery Fund announced on 18 October.

Alun Michael: holding answer 25 October 2001
	Five Regional Development Agencies will receive a share of the extra 15 million extension of the Business Recovery Fund provided by DEFRA:
	
		
			   million 
		
		
			 North West 7.0 
			 North East 1.5 
			 Yorkshire 2.0 
			 West Midlands 1.5 
			 South West 3.0

Foot and Mouth

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when farmers who have been promised compensation relating to foot and mouth disease will receive it; when outstanding monetary payments in respect of contracts with his Department will be made; and what formula is used for calculating such payments.

Elliot Morley: The Department aims to pay compensation to farmers for animals slaughtered for foot and mouth disease control as soon as possible, subject to the checks necessary to protect public funds. At present there are just 33 payments outstanding at HQ.
	Turning to contractors, our target is to pay those we employ within 30 days of receipt of a valid invoice. Given the large number of suppliers of goods and services which the Department has contractedall of whom expect to be paid promptlythis target has proved difficult to meet. However, the time taken to process invoices is being reduced.
	There is a duty to ensure proper, effective and efficient use of public money. This means that the Department cannot pay invoices for goods and/or services that are not accompanied by accurate supporting information as to the nature and extent of the goods and services supplied. Unfortunately this information is not always provided by some of the suppliers we have employed. This has made the Department's task much harder, and is often one of the main reasons for delays.
	Invoices submitted to DEFRA by contractors are scrutinised individually to assess their validity. There is no standard formula to calculate payments.

Foot and Mouth

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will provide financial help to assist farmers with feeding animals over the winter period on farms affected by foot and mouth disease.

Elliot Morley: My officials are in touch with the Arthur Rank Foundation and with industry bodies about the work of the ARF's National Fodder Bureau and Government match funding for this charitable work.

Gait Barrows National Nature Reserve

Andrew Bennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps English Nature is taking (a) to ensure that Gait Barrows National Nature Reserve is not damaged by the Lunesdale Hunt and (b) to control the effects of hunting.

Alun Michael: Following incidents at Gait Barrows National Nature Reserve in February this year, which were brought to the attention of the Lancashire constabulary, English Nature wrote to the chairman of the Lunesdale Hunt requesting a full explanation of the incidents, and withdrew permission for the Hunt to enter the Reserve. A meeting with the chairman of the Hunt in March was postponed due to the foot and mouth outbreak. English Nature hope this will be held shortly, and will discuss the operation of the Hunt in the vicinity of National Nature Reserves generally and Gait Barrows in particular.
	I understand the physical damage to the site has since recovered.

Energy Efficiency

Linda Gilroy: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will publish the overall improvements in energy efficiency as reported by each energy conservation authority in England for the last year for which figures are available.

Michael Meacher: The latest reported figures by energy conservation authorities in England for the overall percentage improvements in domestic energy efficiency were given in my reply to my hon. Friend on 30 November 2000, Official Report, columns 75758W.
	Energy conservation authorities have now reported on their overall improvements to 31 March 2001. We are currently analysing this information and will make it available at the earliest opportunity.

Bovine TB

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to take further steps to control the spread of bovine TB.

Elliot Morley: In its response to the First Report of the Agriculture Select Committee session 200001, the Government stated that they were
	minded to develop a range of policy options. If appropriate these might be tested out possibly on a 'pilot' basis in areas outside the present trials, in order to gain experience that would help Ministers reach an eventual decision on a national TB policy.
	Future policy options will be discussed with stakeholders at the January meeting of the stakeholder group, the TB Forum.

Combined Heat and Power

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent assessment her Department has made of the implications for the Government's Climate Change Strategy of electricity generation from combined heat and power.

Michael Meacher: Combined heat and power continues to play an important role in the UK's climate change programme. The UK's current installed CHP capacity of around 4,700 MWe is estimated to save around 4 million tonnes of carbon equivalent (MtC) per year. The carbon savings from increased use of CHP are reflected within those for a range of other policies within the programme, particularly the climate change levy, climate change agreements and community heating.

Biomass Energy

Jonathan Sayeed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to increase the use of biomass as a fuel for energy production.

Michael Meacher: We support the development of short rotation coppice and miscanthus for energy production through the Energy Crops Scheme. This is one of the integrated set of measures in the England Rural Development Programme and the scheme makes 29 million of funding available to farmers over seven years. In addition we promote the use of forest material, for example through planting grants under the Woodland Grant Scheme and the Farm Woodland Premium Scheme, and woodland maintenance grants under the WGS. Market opportunities are key to future uptake and we are working closely with Government Departments and other bodies to develop power generation, combined heat and power and heat markets in order to increase the use of biomass.

Biomass Energy

Tom Levitt: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much (a) meat and bone meal, (b) coppiced wood and (c) other biomass was burnt in order to provide a direct source of useful energy (i) five years ago and (ii) at the present time; and how much he predicts will be used for this purpose in five years time.

Michael Meacher: Five years ago the use of these materials for industrial-scale energy production was minimal. Current estimated usage in England is as follows:
	650,000 tonnes of meat and bone meal (over the next three years)
	short-rotation coppice from 1,500 hectares of farmland
	200,000 tonnes of straw, 720,000 tonnes of chicken litter and 330,000 oven dried tonnes of forest biomass per annum.
	Usage in five years' time will depend on market developments and the success of a range of Government and other initiatives. For example, the Energy Crops Scheme, which is part of the England Rural Development Programme, could support the establishment of 2025,000 hectares of short-rotation coppice and miscanthus on farmland over the seven years of the programme. The Government see biomass as playing an important and increasing role in the development of renewable sources of heat and power generation.

Landfill

Jonathan Sayeed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to use the methane gas emitted from landfill sites as a potential fuel source.

Michael Meacher: The Landfill Directive requires landfill gas to be collected from all landfills receiving biodegradable waste, and for the collected landfill gas to be treated and, where possible, used. If the collected gas cannot be used to produce energy it must be flared.

Electricity Consumption

Alex Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assistance is available to businesses to reduce electricity consumption; and if she will make a statement.

Michael Meacher: holding answer 22 October 2001
	There are a number of measures available to assist business consumers to reduce their use of energy, including electricity. The Energy Efficiency Best Practice programme offers best practice advice and support to organisations in the private and public sectors, in turn helping them to reduce their electricity consumption.
	Combined heat and power is one example of a high energy efficiency technology which almost doubles the overall efficiency of fuel utilisation and can help business reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions. Measures were introduced in April 2001 to help encourage investment in new combined heat and power.
	An important component of the UK's Climate Change Programme is the Carbon Trust. Set up as a not-for-profit organisation by the Government and the devolved Administrations, the trust is encouraging the use of low-carbon technologies and resources in the business sector. The trust is expected to recycle approximately 100 million of climate change levy revenue over a three year period. The Carbon Trust will develop programmes to support new and emerging low-carbon technologies. It will also take on management of the Government's Energy Efficiency Best Practice programme and the Enhanced Capital Allowance scheme that provides a fiscal incentive to businesses to improve energy efficiency. This scheme gives 100 per cent. first year capital allowances for companies which invest in approved energy saving equipment.

Dog Ban Bye-laws

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her policy is towards bye-law applications seeking to ban dogs from (a) beaches, (b) public parks and (c) other areas; and if she will make a statement.

Michael Meacher: Local authorities are able to apply to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs for the confirmation of bye-laws to control dogs. These bye-laws can ban dogs from (a) beaches, (b) public parks and (c) other areas.
	In considering bye-laws for confirmation the Secretary of State must be satisfied that the proposals are reasonable. All dog ban areas must be fully enclosed and gated. This should not only prevent stray dogs from entering, but provide a physical barrier to make it clear to dog owners where the ban area begins and end. The maximum fine under bye-laws is 500.
	Application of a dog ban bye-law is likely to be considered unreasonable if there are no alternative areas locally where dogs can be exercised freely. It is a matter for each local authority to decide if they wish to adopt bye-laws in the light of local priorities and resources.

Dog Ban Bye-laws

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many bye-law applications from local authorities her Department has turned down that sought to ban dogs from (a) beaches, (b) public parks and (c) other areas, for each of the last five years, indicating her reasons for those decisions.

Michael Meacher: Details on the number of bye-law applications from local authorities that have been turned down that sought to ban dogs from (a) beaches, (b) public parks and (c) other areas is only available since July 1999. Since this time, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has rejected three dog ban bye-law applications on procedural grounds.

Incinerators

Jonathan Sayeed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many incinerators have been built in the United Kingdom in each of the last five years; and if she will make a statement.

Michael Meacher: There are many hundreds of incinerators for sewage sludge, hazardous waste, clinical waste, production waste from factories, etc. Generally, the larger plant are regulated by the Environment Agency and details of their locations are available on the Environment Agency's public register. Other plant that are part of another process regulated by the Agency may not be shown separately on the register. Smaller plant are regulated by local authorities.
	The Environment Agency reports that there are 11 municipal waste incinerators currently operational in England. Some of these are newly built and some were refurbished to meet new emission standards introduced in 1996. The Environment Agency does not keep records of when plant are built but it is believed that in the last five years the numbers of incinerators starting or restarting (following refurbishment) are:
	19963
	19972
	19982
	19990
	20001
	20011.

Waste Management

Jonathan Sayeed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans the Government have to change the amount of household municipal waste generated in the United Kingdom; and if she will make a statement.

Michael Meacher: Tackling the amount of waste produced is the first priority in the hierarchy for waste management decisions set out in the Government's Waste Strategy 2000. Measures aimed at encouraging waste minimisation include Government support for the National Waste Awareness Initiative to encourage householders to reduce their household waste and guidance to local authorities on their powers under the Waste Minimisation Act 1998.
	The Government have implemented the Packaging Directive and a voluntary agreement on newsprint. Further legislation on electrical and electronic equipment and batteries will follow and a voluntary agreement on direct mail and promotions (junk mail) is planned. These are all designed to reduce the amount of waste arising from these products and their impact on the household waste stream.

Waste Management

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to (a) strengthen regulations and (b) transpose European Community directives with regard to waste incineration; and if she will make a statement.

Michael Meacher: The Waste Incineration Directive (2000/76/EC) requires transposition by 28 December 2002. The Directive sets challenging targets which will apply to new incinerators from 28 December 2002 and to existing incinerators from 28 December 2005. Options for implementation, including proposals for amending regulations, are being developed, and will be consulted on in due course.

Waste Management

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to alter paragraph 19 of the Waste Management Licensing Regulations 1994; and if she will make a statement.

Michael Meacher: We are currently reviewing several of the exemptions provided in Regulation 17 of and Schedule 3 to the Waste Management Licensing Regulations 1994, including two exemptions subject to allegations of abuse (paragraphs 9 and 19). We propose to amend these exemptions to encourage genuine waste recovery operations, to preclude their use for sham recovery, and to ensure that human health and the environment are protected.
	We intend to issue a consultation paper with draft regulations later this year.

London Waste

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the implications are for her policy on waste disposal of the recent court case against London Waste.

Michael Meacher: Neither the Environment Agency nor my Department are aware of any court cases against London Waste in the last three years.

Milk Bottles

Jonathan Sayeed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on proposed EU plans to prohibit the recycling of milk bottles.

Michael Meacher: We are not aware of any such proposals.
	The EC Directive on Packaging and Packaging Waste 94/62/EC, as well as requiring certain recovery and recycling targets to be met, also encourages re-use of packaging. This includes drinks containers such as milk bottles. The UK Regulations implementing the Directive also encourage re-use by allowing obligated businesses to exclude from the calculation of their tonnage recovery and recycling obligation, tonnages of packaging that are being re-used. Milk bottles are re-used for between 10 and 40 trips, so this provision will apply to the proportion of milk bottles that are being reused.
	We expect a proposal from the European Commission next month for revised targets in 2006. A further review may also address, among other things, ways of further encouraging re-use of packaging. We are not aware that the proposed revisions will in any way threaten the UK doorstep milk delivery service.

Reconstituted Building Materials

Jonathan Sayeed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to encourage the use of reconstituted building materials.

Patricia Hewitt: holding answer 23 October 2001
	I have been asked to reply.
	The Government published their strategy for more sustainable construction, Building a Better Quality of Life, in April 2000. Last week we published a review of progress 'Building a better quality of lifea strategy for more sustainable construction: Report on Progress 20001', which is available on the DTI website at www.dti.gov.uk/ construction/sustain/sustainableconstruction.htm
	One of the priorities identified in the strategy is the need to minimise the impact on the consumption of natural resources through the reduction in waste. The re-use and recycling of waste, often as building materials, is encouraged through a number of economic instruments such as the landfill tax, the forthcoming aggregates levy and the climate change levy. These measures promote the use of reconstituted building materials in construction by encouraging the minimisation of waste going to landfill and reducing the demand for primary aggregates.
	My Department also commissions researchmuch of it in collaboration with the industryinto the re-use and recycling of waste materials in construction.

Campylobacter

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what percentage of retailed chickens were positive for (a) campylobacter and (b) campylobacter serotypes of public health significance in the last 12 months.

Hazel Blears: I have been asked to reply.
	A survey of chicken on retail sale in the United Kingdom conducted this year on behalf of the Food Standards Agency (FSA) found 50 per cent. of retailed chickens were positive for campylobacter. Preliminary results of the survey can be found on the FSA's website (www.foodstandards.gov.uk/news/chicken.htm). The identification of the campylobacter serotypes will not be complete until spring 2002.

Food Safety Inspections

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on how food products from those parts of the EU where regulation is poorly applied will be inspected by the relevant UK authority when breaches of food safety are found.

Hazel Blears: I have been asked to reply.
	Food products from the European Union, which are freely distributed within the Community, are not subject to any special checks within the United Kingdom. Foods imported from the EU are subject to the same controls and enforcement activity as UK produced food. Where problems are known, checks can be made on EU goods in transit (including at the border) and at destination. Where foods produced within the EU are found to be in breach of EU law, the Community and competent authority in the producer's member state is informed via the rapid alert or single liaison arrangements of the Official Control of Foodstuffs Additional Measures Directive (93/99/EEC).
	In the case of meat and meat products, which are subject to veterinary checks, any breaches of EU law are reported in a letter to the Chief Veterinary Officer of the producer's member state, which is copied to the Community, under Directive 89/662.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Staff Secondments

Hywel Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many (a) secondments there were from her Department to a business in the private sector; and (b) secondments there have been from the private sector to her Department in each of the last five years; and if she will provide a list of (i) the companies involved and (ii) the location of the companies.

Patricia Hewitt: From the records held centrally in the Department, the total number of inward secondments from the private sector and outward secondments from my Department to the private sector commenced in each of the last five years from 1 May 1997 up to the current date, together with the names of the companies involved in each year are in the table that has been placed in the Library.
	It is not possible from central records to give the location in each case and attempting to do so from other sources would first require individual checking of each of the 341 record files, many of which are now in archives. If there are specific companies on which the hon. Member would like information regarding their location I would be happy to help.

Departmental Spending (Deprived Areas)

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much of the expenditure by her Department in each of the years (a) 199697, (b) 199798, (c) 199899, (d) 19992000, (e) 200001, (f) 200102 and (g) 200203 (estimated) was allocated with reference to the Index of Multiple Deprivation; which expenditure programmes are allocated with respect to this Index and other measures of relative geographic deprivation; and if she will make a statement.

Patricia Hewitt: holding answer 25 October 2001
	The Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) was announced by the former Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions on 22 August 2000. The following expenditure programmes by my Department are allocated with reference to this index:
	
		 million 
		
			 Programme 200001 200102 200203(1) 
		
		
			 Phoenix Fund 1.748 (2)15 19 
			 SBS Core Services funding(3) n/a 7.5 10 
			 RDAs(4) n/a n/a 430 
		
	
	(1) The figures for 200203 are estimates
	(2) The 200102 figure for the Phoenix Fund is an estimate
	(3) The SBS Core Services funding is delivered through the Business Links network. The amount shown is solely that part of the budget referring to the IMD; the majority of the budget is determined by the number of local businesses. SBS Core Services funding was not allocated on a deprivation basis in 200001
	(4) DTI will have effective responsibility for all grant in aid to Regional Development Agencies from November 2001. Certain RDA expenditure programmes remain with DTLR until April 2002.
	In addition, while Structural Funds are not allocated on the basis of deprivation, eligibility for the urban strand of Objective 2 of the European Structural Funds in 200006 was in part designated using the 1998 Index of Local Deprivation (the predecessor of the 2000 IMD). Areas eligible for the Structural Funds used this index as one of a series of indicators (e.g. unemployment rate, industrial decline, etc) in designating Objective 2 status. Also within the Structural Fund Programmes, the IMD was used to target resources to meet the needs of the most needy communities in urban and rural area.
	Some DTI programmes take account of factors which are associated with deprivation: for example, the Regional Innovation Fund of 54 million allocated to RDAs in 200102 took account of unemployment, GDP and RD spending.
	From April 2002, the RDAs will be funded through a single pot, which will take account of the IMD as well as related factors such as labour market indicators. The figure shown here for 200203 is for the roughly 28 per cent. of the 2,550 million single pot which depends directly on the IMD.
	As part of the Government's fuel poverty strategy a working group was set up to look at issues surrounding extension of the gas network. This working group is currently considering how the Index of Multiple Deprivation may be used in combination with other information to prioritise areas where serious consideration should be given to extending the gas network, or taking other measures to improve domestic heating and energy efficiency, with a view to alleviating fuel poverty.

Policy Advice

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what role the Institute of Management and the Institute of Directors play in contributing to policy decisions.

Patricia Hewitt: Both institutes are regularly consulted by my Department about policy issues.

Stem Cell Research

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many stem cell lines are available for research in (a) the United Kingdom and (b) the United States of America.

Patricia Hewitt: The National Institute of Health in the US has published a list of 64 potential human embryonic cell lines that can be used in the US to conduct research using public funds. These cell lines were derived in the US, Sweden, Australia, India and Israel. A small number of these lines are being actively studied by researchers in the UK, although information about the import and use of stem cell lines in the UK is not collected centrally.

Liberalisation of Trade in Services Committee

Colin Challen: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations she has received from the Liberalisation of Trade in Services Committee in the last 12 months.

Patricia Hewitt: The Liberalisation of Trade in Services Committee, a committee of International Financial Services, London (an independent member-based organisation funded by UK-based financial and related services firms), was established in 1982 as a means for the Government to consult the private sector on international trade in services. Over the past 12 months the committee has met twice at chairman/CEO level and four times at working level. Officials from the Treasury, DTI and FCO have attended as observers. Members of the Committee, one of several private sector bodies that have made representations to my Department calling for liberalisation in this area, also met my noble Friend the Minister for Trade and Investment in early September.

Foreign Investment

Nigel Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry for each year between 1979 and 2001, what was (a) the total and (b) the proportion in world terms of accumulated foreign investment in (i) Britain, (ii) the eurozone and (iii) the remaining developed countries.

Patricia Hewitt: The two tables show the value of inward direct investment into the UK, the eurozone and other developed countries, and also the percentage these values represent of total world investment.
	
		Inward direct investment position
		
			 $ million  
			 Year UK Eurozone Other developed countries World 
		
		
			 1980 63,014 115,639 196,315 605,805 
			 1985 64,028 164,534 317,719 893,567 
			 1990 203,894 514,014 680,075 1,888,672 
			 1995 199,760 876,778 975,201 2,937,539 
			 1999 367,598 1,357,010 1,629,093 5,196,046 
			 2000 482,798 1,764,299 1,963,197 6,314,271 
		
	
	
		Inward direct investment position
		
			   Percentage of world total  
			  1980 1985 1990 1995 1999 2000 
		
		
			 UK 10 7 11 7 7 8 
			 Eurozone 19 18 27 30 26 28 
			 Other developed countries 32 36 36 33 31 31

Regional Development Agencies

Peter Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many full-time staff are employed by each of the English regional development agencies.

Alan Johnson: The average number of staff employed by each of the English regional development agencies is as follows:
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 One North East 244 
			 North West Development Agency 237 
			 Yorkshire Forward 220 
			 East Midlands Development Agency 124 
			 Advantage West Midlands 164 
			 East of England Development Agency 83 
			 South East of England Development Agency 122 
			 South West of England Development Agency 167 
			 London Development Agency 77 
		
	
	Note:
	Staff numbers are staff-in-post averages (not full-time equivalents) taken over the course of the year ending 31 March 2001, as stated in the agencies' annual reports for 200001, except in the case of the LDA where the figure refers to the staff complement for April to June 2001.

Fireworks

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations she has received from the firework industry regarding illegal storage of fireworks in (a) the west midlands, (b) Lancashire and (c) Leicestershire; and what action she has taken in response to those reports.

Melanie Johnson: holding answer 24 October 2001
	The Department has received no representations from the fireworks industry regarding illegal storage of fireworks in the west midlands, Lancashire and Leicestershire.

Fireworks

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what checks are undertaken (a) at ports of entry to ensure that bulk supplies of fireworks entering the UK are destined for licensed storage facilities and (b) to ensure that such supplies reach those facilities.

Melanie Johnson: holding answer 24 October 2001
	HM Customs and Excise is responsible for undertaking intelligence-led, risk-based checks at ports of entry. Where it has concerns about fireworks reaching licensed storage facilities, it notifies the Health and Safety Executive and/or the relevant local authority.

Fireworks

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations she has received from (a) the firework industry and (b) local authorities on (i) the 14-day rule allowing storage of fireworks for private use and (ii) the enforcement of fireworks safety and storage regulations.

Melanie Johnson: holding answer 24 October 2001
	The Department has received no representations on the 14-day rule nor the enforcement of fireworks safety and storage regulations.

Salesmen (Vulnerable People)

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what action the Government are taking to protect (a) dementia sufferers and (b) other vulnerable groups from door to door and telephone salespeople.

Melanie Johnson: The Consumer Protection (Cancellation of Contracts Concluded away from Business Premises) Regulations 1987 (as amended in 1998)known as the Doorstep Selling Regulationsand the Consumer Protection (Distance Selling) Regulations 2000 protect all consumers when goods or services are sold door to door or over the telephone.

Salesmen (Vulnerable People)

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations the Government have received from (a) organisations and (b) individuals, calling for greater protection of (i) dementia sufferers and (ii) other vulnerable groups from door-to-door and telephone salespeople.

Melanie Johnson: During the past year (i) no representations have been received for greater protection of dementia sufferers in respect of door to door and telephone sellers; (ii) one representation has been received from an individual for greater protection of vulnerable groups generally from pressure selling; (iii) no other representations have been received.

HEALTH

Food Labelling

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures are planned to ensure that food imported into the United Kingdom meets UK standards on food labelling.

Hazel Blears: Food labelling rules are harmonised at European level and implemented here by the Food Labelling Regulations 1996. They apply to all food sold in the United Kingdom, wherever it comes from, and are supplemented by a range of guidance notes that aid consistent application and enforcement.

NHS International Scheme

Helen Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS patients have been treated in European countries under the NHS international scheme this year .

Hazel Blears: Under European Commission Regulation 1408/71, it has long been possible for individual patients to be referred to all countries of the European Economic Area for specific treatment, at the expense of the sending country. A system of prior authorisation applies. Between 1 January 2001 and 16 October 2001, 920 such referrals were authorised.
	Following recent rulings of the European Court of Justice, national health service bodies now have the power to commission treatment overseas, as part of their wider efforts to reduce waiting times. However, as far as we are aware no contracts have yet been signed to fund treatment for NHS patients in mainland Europe.

NHS International Scheme

Helen Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what finance his Department is able to make available to NHS patients travelling to EU countries for treatment under the NHS international scheme in the current financial year.

Hazel Blears: There is no separate finance for national health service patients travelling to European Union countries for treatment. The E112 scheme allows NHS patients to travel abroad specifically to receive treatment in European Economic Area countries on the same conditions as the host country's own insured people, subject to a prior authorisation regime. There were 1,100 such authorisations in 2000. There is no set annual budget for this scheme.
	Following recent rulings of the European Court of Justice, NHS bodies now have the power to commission treatment in EEA countries, as part of their wider efforts to reduce waiting times. However, NHS bodies meet any costs arising from such commissioning from their own budgets.

Strategic Health Authorities

Peter Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will delay consideration of the candidates for the chairmanship of the new strategic health authorities until after he has confirmed the boundaries of these authorities; and if he will make a statement.

Hazel Blears: The recruitment and appointment of chairs to the new health authorities is a matter for the National Health Service Appointments Commission. I understand that they have already begun the recruitment and selection procedure. However, they will not be able to make substantive appointments until the consultation period has ended, the boundaries of the authorities have been agreed, and the relevant Establishment Orders have been agreed by Parliament.

Multiple Sclerosis Drugs

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on NICE's report on glatiramer acetate for multiple sclerosis.

Hazel Blears: The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) Appraisal Committee further considered the evidence on the use of beta interferon and glatiramer acetate for multiple sclerosis sufferers on 25 September 2001. NICE has subsequently issued a provisional appraisal determination (PAD) to interested parties for comment.
	The institute has stated that, to allow sufficient time to take proper account of the extensive comments received on the PAD, it now intends to issue the final appraisal determination to consultees towards the end of October this year.

Multiple Sclerosis Drugs

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  when he expects NICE to publish its final appraisal determination on the appraisal of glatiramer acetate and beta interferon for multiple sclerosis;
	(2)  when the Government expect NICE to publish its Final Appraisal Determination on the appraisal of glatiramer acetate and beta interferon for multiple sclerosis.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 22 October 2001
	I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Altrincham and Sale, West (Mr. Brady) on 15 October 2001, Official Report, column 1028W.

IT Systems

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the total (a) revenue and (b) capital expenditure on the Read codes version 3 in each of the last five years.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 22 October 2001
	The detailed information required is not yet available and will be placed in the Library as soon as it has been obtained from both the National Health Service Information authority and Leicestershire health authority.

IT Systems

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the estimated (a) revenue and (b) capital expenditure planned to be spent on Read codes in financial years (i) 200102, (ii) 200203 and (iii) 200304.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 22 October 2001
	The estimated central revenue expenditure per year on Read codes is 600,000 for each of the years 200102, 200203 and 200304. The estimated central capital expenditure over the same period is zero.

IT Systems

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what arrangements have been agreed for financial compensation from SNOMED if the SNOMED CT coding system is not delivered to the NHS on time.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 22 October 2001
	There are no plans to seek compensation because the third and final payment will not be made in full until SNOMED CT Release: June 2002 is delivered.

IT Systems

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the total expenditure on coding departments in NHS trusts in the last financial year for which figures are available.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 22 October 2001
	The information requested is not available centrally.
	Approximately 1,500 to 2,000 clinical coders are employed by national health service trusts.

IT Systems

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what stage of development SNOMED clinical terms project has now reached; when he expects the project to produce a final version; and if he will make a statement.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 22 October 2001
	SNOMED CT is being developed collaboratively with the College of American Pathologists. The terms of the agreement underpinning this work are such that overall responsibility for product delivery is with the SNOMED International Authority, a committee of the College of American Pathologists.
	An interim, internal product is scheduled to be delivered to the National Health Service Information Authority by 10 December 2001. SNOMED CT 'first release to support implementation testing' is scheduled to follow in January 2002. This first release is to enable a programme of evaluative work to be undertaken in the NHS and is synonymous with a beta release.
	A subsequent release is scheduled for June 2002. The naming convention for releases is month-year, for example, this would be referred to as the June 2002 release. It is synonymous with a version 1. This will be the final version of the joint development project. Further releases are planned to follow every six months.

IT Systems

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has made for compensation to be paid to NHS trusts and suppliers who have invested in Read based IT systems.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 22 October 2001
	No compensation is planned. National health service trusts have been forewarned that they will need to develop a strategy at local level for moving to the NHS preferred systems based on SNOMED CT. The pace of this migration will be the subject of further guidance as the results of the implementation testing programme become clear.

IT Systems

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the target date for the SNOMED system to produce automatic mappings to ICD and OPCS codes.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 22 October 2001
	The development of SNOMED CT includes (for United Kingdom users) mapping tables from SNOMED CT to ICD10 and OPCS4 codes. It is intended that these tables will be fully populated for inclusion in the 'First Release' scheduled for January 2002.
	A feasibility study is being carried out as part of SNOMED development work to investigate automated cross mapping. Full automation from terms to codes requires additional contextual information held in the clinical record. As such, automation will be dependent upon establishing the rules base and sophisticated electronic records.

IT Systems

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what advice he has given existing users of Read codes about the use of legacy data following their adoption of the SNOMED clinical terms system.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 22 October 2001
	Subject to successful development and testing of SNOMED, clinical terms users and suppliers have been advised not to develop new Read code based systems from April 2003 and that users of existing systems, based on other coding schemes including Read codes, should develop a strategy at local level for moving to the national health service preferred system based on SNOMED clinical terms. SNOMED CT First Release will include guidance (documentation) on the use of legacy data in the context of SNOMED CT.

IT Systems

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the total (a) revenue and (b) capital expenditure to date on (i) the SNOMED CT system, (ii) the SNOMED RT system and (iii) earlier version of the SNOMED system; and if he will make a statement.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 22 October 2001
	Involvement to date has focused on development of SNOMED CT and related expenditure is capital. The agreement commits the national health service to contributing $3 million for each of the three years beginning April 1999. The contribution is made up of the value of work supplied with any shortfall being a cash payment. Additional costs arise from funding NHS representatives on joint boards. For 200102 this was estimated to be approximately 160,000.
	SNOMED RT was released by the College of American Pathologists in May 2000. Their total revenue and capital expenditure on this product is not known.
	The United Kingdom has no centrally collated information regarding the use of and expenditure on earlier versions of SNOMED.

IT Systems

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the Government received advice from CISCO about IT policy in the NHS; and if he will place copies in the Library.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 22 October 2001
	CISCO have, like other major national and international technology suppliers, been invited from time to time to provide advice to the Government. During the summer of 2001, CISCO carried out an E-Compliant Network study for the national health service. The report of this study was published on the website of the NHS Information Service. A copy will be placed in the Library.

NHS Trusts

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS trusts he now expects to achieve EPR level 3 by 2004; how many have already purchased relevant systems; and how many have now submitted outline business cases.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 22 October 2001
	Currently five sites have full EPR level 3 functionality while many more have implemented elements of the EPR on route to meeting level 3.
	We are currently reviewing the way EPR level 3 can be assessed in the light of operational experience, which show that national health service trusts choose different routes to EPR based on local priority. It is important that these decisions are made on the basis of local circumstances. We are implementing an on-line performance management arrangement.
	There are some 62 outline business cases at various stages of the approval process and a further nine have already been approved.

NHSnet

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of GPs' surgeries were intended to be connected to NHSnet by the target date of March 2001; what proportion were connected; what proportion were connected at the latest date for which figures are available; what proportion of GPs now connected use the system in practice; and if he will make a statement.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 22 October 2001
	Our Information Management and Technology strategy for the national health service, Building the Information CoreImplementing the NHS Plan, published in January 2001 gave the target of 95 per cent. of general practitioners practices in England to be connected to NHSnet by end of March 2001.
	At that date 93.6 per cent. of practices in England had an NHSnet line installed. At the latest date for which figures are available 97 per cent. of practices in England have an NHSnet line installed.
	Nationally, 77 per cent. of practices in England have completed acceptance tests which include demonstrating that local staff are able to use e-mail over NHSnet. Although usage of NHSnet is monitored centrally, the extent to which individual practices use e-mail depends on local work practices and information on usage is not available centrally.

NHSnet

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when in the last year key services forming part of NHSnet failed for more than 24 hours consecutively; what the causes of such failures were; and if he will make a statement.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 22 October 2001
	There have been no failures of NHSnet services lasting more than 24 hours in the past year.

NHSnet

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if the back up system for NHSnet performed to expectations during recent losses of service.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 22 October 2001
	Yes. On Saturday 1 September, NHSnet services were temporarily affected by a power surge at a data centre that damaged equipment. Backup systems were brought into use immediately and an operational service was restored within minutes. During the following week, configuration problems were identified that caused network congestion and delay to messages. Immediate corrective action was taken.

LORD CHANCELLOR

Services for the Deaf

Kate Hoey: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many quality marked community legal service providers are able to provide interpreting services for deaf clients; and what plans she has to increase this number.

Rosie Winterton: There are 1,276 quality marked community legal service providers able to provide interpreting services for deaf clients through a British sign language interpreter or text phone services. Most providers, particularly those providing specialist help, are able to appoint an external expert such as a sign language interpreter. We are working to increase the numbers of providers who offer such services. The Legal Services Commission is working with the London learning and skills council to help support small and ethnic groups achieve the quality mark. A pilot is being run in two London boroughs and includes disability groups. All Community Legal Service Partnerships' needs assessments are identifying where there is a need for improved access to services for the deaf.

TRANSPORT, LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND THE REGIONS

Railtrack

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how much public money has been granted to Railtrack in total; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: In 199495 and 199596, when Railtrack was still in the public sector, grants of 32 million and 34 million were paid towards the cost of maintaining level crossings. Since its privatisation in 1996 the company has recovered those costs, and other costs, through access charges paid by passenger train operating companies (TOCs) and freight operating companies (FOCs). So, although no grant was paid direct to the company between 199697 and 200001, the company's profitability in those years was contingent on public money. Some 90 per cent. of its income is paid to it in access charges by TOCs and FOCs, most of which are supported by public money.
	In addition, in accordance with the terms of Railtrack's 2 April agreement with Government, Railtrack received 337 million of network grant on 1 October 2001; and the company, or its successor body, will receive 162 million of network grant in 200102 in respect of the (October 2000) final conclusions of the Rail Regulator's periodic review of access charges.

Railtrack

Howard Flight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if Railtrack will honour its outstanding debts to its creditors; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: The Government have committed themselves to provide the railway administrators with sufficient funds to allow them to continue to pay trade creditors as invoices fall due for payment. We have also committed ourselves to provide sufficient funds to pay non-default interest, lease rentals and scheduled repayments to finance creditors for an initial period of 45 days. This will continue for the finance creditors who have signed up to certain standstill arrangements until a transfer scheme is proposed.
	We intend to enable a proposal to be made to the railway administrators which would, if accepted, result in the transfer of both the business of the company and the debt of the finance creditors participating in the standstill to a new company limited by guarantee. The new company would be financially sound and have a credit rating of at least BBB and potentially higher. Indebtedness would be transferred on broadly the same economic terms, applicable in the absence of default, as applied immediately before administration. Lenders should not lose any principal or interest.

Railtrack

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he has received an undertaking from the Treasury to guarantee finance required by the successor company to Railtrack to invest in the rail network.

David Jamieson: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has not received, or asked for, such an undertaking.

Railtrack

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make a statement on the nature of the approaches made by West LB relating to Railtrack.

David Jamieson: West LB has written to my Department setting out in broad terms its proposals for a scheme to take Railtrack plc out of administration. It will be for West LB to consider how to develop its proposals and whether or not to submit them to the railway administrator, who is responsible for making proposals on how to move the company out of administration.

Railtrack

Archie Norman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions when he first advised (a) Treasury officials and (b) officials in his Department that his preferred option was to put Railtrack into administration.

David Jamieson: holding answer 22 October 2001
	Having reviewed all the relevant papers and considered all the options, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions decided not to accept Railtrack's proposal for additional funding on 5 October. Officials in my Department and in HM Treasury were subsequently informed of my right hon. Friend's decision and of his intention to petition for a Railway Administration Order.

Railtrack

Archie Norman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions on what date he first obtained legal advice regarding the possibility of putting Railtrack into administration.

David Jamieson: holding answer 22 October 2001
	Since the date on which Railtrack made its request for additional funding, my right hon. Friend has taken a wide range of advice, including legal advice, on all the options available to him and their possible consequences.

Railtrack

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what meetings his officials held with Ernst and Young to discuss whether Railtrack plc should be put into administration; and when these meetings were held.

David Jamieson: holding answer 25 October 2001
	My officials had regular meetings with representatives of Ernst and Young after an initial meeting on 23 August and their subsequent engagement as advisers.

Social Housing (Rural Areas)

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make a statement on plans to speed up the development of social housing in rural areas.

Sally Keeble: holding answer 18 October 2001
	We recognise the importance of affordable housing in maintaining balanced and successful rural communities. We are taking a number of measures to improve the delivery of social housing in rural areas.
	Last year just under 4,400 homes were approved in larger rural areas and market towns through the Housing Corporation's Approved Development programme and local authority funding. This was in addition to 1,321 homes provided by the same means in small settlements of fewer than 3,000 people.
	Our overall strategy is to ensure that the housing needs of people living in rural areas are properly identified; to increase investment in new social housing; to maximum delivery of affordable housing through the planning system; and to make the best use of existing property. We expect to deliver around 9,000 affordable homes annually in rural areas by 200304 through these measures, as announced in the Rural White Paper.
	We expect all local authorities to develop housing strategies that address the need for affordable housing. In addition, we want local authorities to make better use of the planning system to secure more affordable homes as part of mixed developments in markets towns and villages. We will issue shortly a consultation paper on the review of the planning system. The fundamental objective of the review is to improve the efficiency of the system.

Social Housing (Rural Areas)

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will estimate (a) the number of council houses sold in south Gloucestershire in each of the last 10 years and (b) the number of new social rented houses built in South Gloucestershire over the same period.

Sally Keeble: The information is as follows:
	(a) Council houses sold in south Gloucestershire 1 in the last 10 years:
	199697: 91
	199798: 113
	199899: 184
	19992000: 177
	200001: 183
	For 200102 the council is estimating 175.
	(b) New social rented houses built:
	199697: not available
	199798: not available
	199899: 65
	19992000: 99
	200001: 89
	For 200102: 89 are planned.
	1 South Gloucestershire was created on 1 April 1996.

Regional Bodies

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what are the administrative costs of (a) regional development agencies, (b) Government offices for the regions and (c) regional chambers are for each region, (i) this year and (ii) projected for the next financial year.

Stephen Byers: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Minister for Employment and the Regions on 23 October 2001, Official Report, column 137W.
	We have not issued the RDAs with allocations for next year. The RDAs will be submitting proposals for their administration to the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry in their corporate plans.
	The Cabinet office oversees the work of the Regional Co-ordination (RCU) and the Government offices, for which the total administrative running cost budget for the financial year 200102 is 101.63 million and 98.63 million for 200203. There is an annual resource planning exercise that will allocate the sums between individual Government offices and the RCU. This has commenced and is due for completion in December. Programme budgets administered by the Government offices are the responsibility of the Secretaries of State for the relevant sponsor Departments.
	The regional chambers were designated by the Secretary of State following the establishment of regional development agencies in 1999. They have been established voluntarily by bodies representing the interests of each region. Their running costs are a matter for the chambers and their members. The Government have however allocated 500,000 this year to each regional chamber, with an additional 1 million for chambers to use collectively, to help them establish a stronger strategic and scrutiny role within the regions.

Regional Air Services

Gwyneth Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions when the consultation for Regional Air Services and the South East and East of England Air Services reviews will be published; and when he expects to issue the White Paper on Government Policy for UK Aviation.

John Spellar: We expect consultation to commence early next year on both the Regional Air Service programme and South East airport options.
	Responses to the major public consultation exercise outlined, along with responses received on the future of Aviation National Consultation document published last December, will inform the preparation of the Air Transport White Paper. We plan to issue the White Paper in the second half of next year.

National Air Traffic Services

Gwyneth Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will made a statement on the NATS investment programme and the safety of the UK air traffic management system.

John Spellar: NATS are reviewing their long-term investment plan to take account of the impact of the 11 September terrorist attacks on the aviation industry. They are due to report on the new Business Plan, which includes the long-term investment plan, in November 2001. Safety will remain paramount for NATS in producing the Business Plan and long-term investment plan.

National Air Traffic Services

Gwyneth Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions 
	(1)  if he will made a statement on the timetable for opening the new NATS en-route centre at Swanwick; and if the project is within budget;
	(2)  if NATS has enough qualified air traffic controllers for the transition from West Drayton to Swanwick.

John Spellar: Yes.

National Air Traffic Services

Gwyneth Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what discussions he has had with the Chief Executive of NATS about whether the Airline Group has sufficient financial resources to meet NATS' present and future investment requirements; and if he will make a statement.

John Spellar: My officials are having regular discussions with the NATS Chief Executive about the financial resources available to NATS.

Bombardier

Gwyneth Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will ensure that subsidies paid to Bombardier in Belfast cannot be used by that company to cross-subsidise its Belfast City Airport subsidiary; and if he will make a statement.

John Spellar: This would be an issue for CAA or the competition authorities to investigate in response to any complaint.

East Midlands Airport

Kenneth Clarke: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will take steps to control aircraft noise at night from East Midlands airport by designating the airport under section 80 for the purposes of section 78 of the Civil Aviation Act 1982 in line with the request from North West Leicestershire district council.

John Spellar: The representations received in relation to the request from North West Leicestershire district council are currently being considered and I shall announce the decision in due course, following further representations.

Public Assets (Borrowing)

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what plans he has to amend the rules covering borrowing against public assets; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Raynsford: We announced on 21 March 2001, Official Report, column 250W, our intention to abolish the present system of local authority capital controls. The new system will permit authorities to borrow without prior Government approval. Each authority will decide how much to borrow, taking account of the revenue resources it can afford to make available to service debt, and acting in accordance with a professional code being developed by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy. This increased flexibility to invest in their communities will allow authorities to deliver better value for money over the whole range of services, including housing. There is no proposal to remove the present prohibition on the mortgaging of local authority capital assets. The potential seizure of the property by a creditor would threaten the delivery of essential services. Loans are secured on all the revenues of the authority and that will remain the position. Legislation will be introduced as soon as parliamentary time allows.

Driving Standards Agency

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what the annual gross cost of the Driving Instructors Agency is; and what the income generated by the agency in test fees and other income was in the latest year for which figures are available.

John Spellar: The Driving Standards Agency's annual report and accounts for 200001 show:
	
		
			   million 
		
		
			 Annual gross cost (expenditure) 76.849 
			 Income (test fees) 78.222 
			 Income (other) 2.115 
		
	
	Copies of the annual report and accounts are available in the House Libraries.

Right to Buy

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what plans he has to review the capping of the discount available to residents wanting to buy their homes; and if he will make a statement.

Sally Keeble: We have no plans to alter the Right to Buy discount limits introduced in February 1999.

Boundary Commission

John Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make a statement on the timetable for (a) publication and (b) implementation of the Boundary Commission proposals for England and Wales.

Nick Raynsford: The Boundary Commissions for England, and for Wales, are independent bodies who will submit separate reports to the Secretary of State on completion of their general reviews of parliamentary constituencies in England and Wales.
	The Boundary Commission for England has indicated in its annual report for 200001 that it expects to complete the fifth general review between five and six years after the February 2000 start. The Boundary Commission for Wales, in its annual report for 19992000, indicated its intention to commence the review in February 2003 and complete it in 2005.
	As soon as possible after the Boundary Commission has submitted its reports to him, the Secretary of State is required to lay the reports before Parliament. If the reports recommend alterations to the existing constituencies, a draft Order in Council giving effect to the recommendations, with or without modifications, must also be laid. The order is subject to affirmative procedure of both Houses of Parliament. The new constituencies take effect at the following general election. On the basis of the Commissions' intentions, the Secretary of State does not expect to lay the reports before Parliament before 2006.

Physical Agents (Vibration) Directive

John Whittingdale: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what discussion has taken place with business about the proposed EU Physical Agents (Vibration) Directive; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Raynsford: The Health and Safety Executive has consulted widely with business on the Physical Agents (Vibration) Directive, including with the CBI and the TUC. It has also had discussions with several industry associations and has responded to a large number of inquiries from individual businesses.

Physical Agents (Vibration) Directive

John Whittingdale: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what the Government's policy is towards the EU Physical Agents (Vibration) Directive; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Raynsford: The Government welcome the Physical Agents (Vibration) Directive and support the common position reached by the Council of Ministers on 25 June. We believe implementation of the directive will result in significant improvements in health. The Government intend to defend the common position against amendments proposed by the European Parliament which would cause significant problems for industry.

Millennium Dome

Tim Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions 
	(1)  what non-financial requirements will be made of the purchaser of the Millennium Dome;
	(2)  what criteria have been established to determine the success of bids to buy the Millennium Dome.

Sally Keeble: We want to get the best deal for the taxpayer. Therefore, any sale of the Dome will be required to provide a worthwhile and sustainable future for the Dome and value for money. We will also want to be assured that bidders' proposals can be successfully delivered.

Millennium Dome

Tim Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions 
	(1)  what his estimate is of the value of the Millennium Dome and site;
	(2)  when he will publish details of plans to sell the Millennium Dome.

Sally Keeble: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for East Surrey (Mr. Ainsworth) on 25 June 2001, Official Report, column 21W.

Millennium Dome

Tim Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will provide a detailed breakdown of the costs of the Millennium Dome since the closure of the Millennium Experience.

Sally Keeble: Since the closure of the Millennium Experience on 31 December 2000, the expenditure incurred on the Dome by the New Millennium Experience Company (NMEC) and English Partnerships (EP) is as follows:
	Dome running costs 1 3.3 million
	Decommissioning 2 9.6 million.
	The lease of the Dome site to NMEC ended on 30 June 2001, and reverted to English Partnerships (EP) as planned. All costs incurred by NMEC following the end of the Millennium Experience will be paid from the grant already approved by the Millennium Commission. EP will recover their Dome related costs from eventual sale proceeds.
	1 Includes rates, utilities, security, maintenance and insurance.
	2 Costs incurred in preparation for the future use of the Dome.

Millennium Dome

Tim Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions on what date (a) he, (b) other Ministers and (c) officials in his Department, first spoke to (a) representatives of Legacy plc, (b) representatives of the Wellcome Trust, (c) the Duke of Westminster or his colleagues and (d) any other party to discuss the acquisition of the Millennium Dome, following the failure of the Nomura deal.

Sally Keeble: To reveal details of any discussions could compromise the negotiating process and would be against the public interest. It is of course open to any interested party to make their interest known.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Kuranze Ranch, Kenya

Peter Bradley: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he will take to assist Mrs. Eileen Williams' attempts to secure the title to land owned by her late parents at Kuranze Ranch in Kenya.

Ben Bradshaw: We are concerned at the length of time it is taking for the Kenyan authorities to resolve this matter. Our High Commission in Nairobi and the High Commissioner personally have maintained a close interest in Mrs. Williams' case and will continue to do all they properly can to seek an outcome which is equitable to Mrs. Williams.

General Affairs Council

Jimmy Hood: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the outcome was of the General Affairs Council held in Brussels on 17 October; what the Government's stance was on each issue discussed, including its voting record; and if he will make a statement.

Peter Hain: The General Affairs Council met on 17 October in Luxembourg to discuss the EU's response to international terrorism. The GAC declared its total solidarity with the United States and confirmed its wholehearted support for the action taken in the context of legitimate defence and in accordance with the UN Charter and the UN Security Council Resolution 1368.
	The GAC reiterated the importance of a multilateral and global approach under the United Nations' aegis in order to strengthen the international coalition in its fight against terrorism in all its aspects. It identified emergency humanitarian aid in Afghanistan as an absolute priority and undertook to mobilise without delay aid amounting to more than euro 320 million. The GAC supported the efforts of the UN specialised agencies and expressed its concern at the difficulties of access and of convoying humanitarian aid in Afghanistan. The GAC appealed to the countries of the region to facilitate by all means possible the humanitarian operations for hosting fresh flows of Afghan refugees and will implement the necessary means to assist them in doing so.
	The GAC agreed on the following points to guide the Union's future proceedings on Afghanistan, once it is freed of the al-Qaeda network and of its terrorists:
	the establishment in Afghanistan of a stable, legitimate and broadly representative Government, expressing the will of the people;
	the essential role of the UN in seeking a peace plan for Afghanistan;
	maintaining absolute priority for emergency humanitarian aid;
	a plan for the reconstruction of the country;
	the regional dimension of the stabilisation of Afghanistan.
	The GAC committed the EU to making contact without delay with the international community and in particular the Secretary-General of the United Nations and his personal representative, Mr. Brahimi, in order to contribute effectively to the UN effort.
	The GAC decided to intensify the European Union's relations with the countries neighbouring Afghanistan in order to contribute to the stability of the region. Particular reference was made to Pakistan, India, Iran and the countries of central Asia. The GAC also expressed its determination to continue a close and co-ordinated political dialogue with its Arab and Muslim partners.
	The GAC emphasised the urgent need to relaunch the middle east peace process. The Presidency issued a separate statement condemning in the strongest terms the assassination of the Israeli Minister for Tourism, Rehavam Ze'evi.
	The GAC stated that the Union would be more effective in developing the common Foreign and Security Policy and making the European Security and Defence Policy operational as soon as possible.
	The GAC welcomed the fact that, in all the Council's configurations, work on stepping up the fight against terrorism was progressing satisfactorily and had already produced initial results. It noted in particular the following:
	the measures which had already been taken, in particular pursuant to UN Security Council Resolution 1373, against the sources that fund terrorism, such as the political agreement on the Directive against money laundering, application in full of the FATF measures and freezing the assets of persons and organisations linked to the Taliban;
	work in progress to draw up a list of terrorist organisations; the Council believed that regular meetings of the intelligence services were vital if terrorism is to be combated successfully; the Council approved a system of indicators making it possible to evaluate the commitment and the co-operation of third countries in the fight against terrorism;
	the progress already made in the examination of the Commission proposals on the European arrest warrant and terrorist offences and the establishment of a co-ordinated EU position in the context of the conclusion of a general UN convention on international terrorism; the Council requested that consideration should be given to any measure facilitating mutual assistance with third countries concerning the pursuit of terrorists or terrorist organisations;
	the many current contacts with the USA, including the Troika meeting scheduled for 19 October.
	The GAC also welcomed the Presidency's road map setting out all the initiatives and work carried out by the Council and listing those responsible for implementation, the time frames and progress made.

Baltic States

Paul Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on what dates the (a) President and (b) Prime Minister of (i) Latvia, (ii) Estonia and (iii) Lithuania visited the UK in the last five years; what future visits are planned; and if he will make a statement.

Peter Hain: Former President Meri of Estonia visited the UK in February 1998 and again in March 2000. President Vike-Freiberga of Latvia visited the UK in October 2000. There have been no prime ministerial visits from the countries concerned in the last five years.
	Programmes of future visits are kept under regular review.

Sudan

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the USA on the subject of Sudan.

Ben Bradshaw: We have frequent discussions with the USA about Sudan. We welcome the appointment of Senator John Danforth as US Special Envoy to Sudan, and we look forward to working closely with him in the pursuit of peace.

Sudan

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has collated on how many Sudanese are refugees in neighbouring countries; and how many are refugees in camps in those countries.

Ben Bradshaw: According to the US Committee for Refugees, there were approximately 465,000 Sudanese refugees or asylum seekers at the end of 2000. Approximately 200,000 Sudanese refugees were recorded in Uganda, 70,000 in Ethiopia, 70,000 in the Democratic Republic of Congo, 55,000 in Kenya, 35,000 in Central African Republic, 20,000 in Chad, and some 12,000 in Egypt.

Sudan

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Sudanese Government on the cases of the human rights activists Ghazi Suleiman and Ali Mahmoud currently detained by that Government.

Ben Bradshaw: Following representations to the Sudanese authorities by the UK and the EU both Ghazi Suleiman and Ali Mahmoud were released on 17 February 2001.

Sudan

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish evidence he has received that links the Sudanese Government to the East African embassy bombings.

Ben Bradshaw: HMG did not say that the Sudanese Government were involved in the bombing of the US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania in August 1998.

Sudan

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the access of non-governmental organisations to the Sudan.

Ben Bradshaw: Many British and other NGOs are performing outstanding humanitarian work in Sudan with strong political and financial support from HMG. We work closely with Operation Lifeline Sudan, North and South, and with the UN, ICRC and NGOs over access for humanitarian operations in Sudan. We regularly urge the Government of Sudan to stop denying access for humanitarian operations. We urge both the Government and the SPLM to improve the conditions within which humanitarian organisations work. We also aim to expand their access by visiting areas not usually accessible. For example our Ambassador in Khartoum visited Blue Nile state last month, the first diplomat to do so for some three years. Local UNICEF representatives said that his visit would help them gain access and establish a new office in that state.

Sudan

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he had with the Sudanese Government on the imposition of Sharia law in largely Christian areas.

Ben Bradshaw: We regularly discuss freedom of religion with the Government of Sudan and lobby on individual cases of abuses. Sharia law is by and large not imposed on mainly Christian areas such as south Sudan, although there are federal laws which infringe on religious freedom (eg Islamic banking system). The situation is worse for Christians in predominantly Muslim areas, such as around Khartoum, where they face implementation of Islamic punishments. We have maintained strong pressure on the Government of Sudan to change their policies in this respect and there has been limited progress over the last year and a half. We are also actively promoting inter-religious dialogue between religious leaders in Sudan and the UK.
	Freedom of religion was the main topic of discussion at the EU-Sudan dialogue meeting on 23 October. Our Ambassador will host a meeting of EU Heads of Mission with the Minister of Religious Guidance and Endowments next week.

Sudan

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last met representatives of the Kenya-based peace secretariat to discuss a peace deal in the Sudan.

Ben Bradshaw: We keep in close touch through our diplomatic representatives in Khartoum and Nairobi. We have also recently agreed additional funding for IGAD's work on the Sudan peace process.

Sudan

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Sudanese Government to encourage it to co-operate with the International Committee of the Red Cross.

Ben Bradshaw: We consistently urge the Government of Sudan to co-operate with all the humanitarian agencies, including ICRC. The British Government provide significant funding to ICRC operations in Sudan.

Sudan

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the Government's policies towards the Sudan; and what plans he has to help encourage the Sudanese Government towards the restoration of political parties there.

Ben Bradshaw: Our priorities for Sudan remain to support the peace process, to promote respect for human rights and to ensure efficient delivery of humanitarian assistance. We continue to promote democratic transformation. We regularly urge the Government of Sudan and other authorities to improve freedom of political association and assembly, and to remove legislation and end practices limiting other popular freedoms. This is also a core focus of the EU-Sudan dialogue, which the UK is currently chairing as local EU Presidency.

Sudan

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Sudanese Government on (a) female genital mutilation, (b) slavery, (c) people trafficking, (d) child labour and (e) torture.

Ben Bradshaw: We regularly discuss these issues with the Sudanese authorities, including jointly with our European partners in the EU-Sudan dialogue. The Foreign Secretary raised human rights in his meeting with the Sudanese Foreign Minister on 21 September. We also fund project activity to promote constructive approaches to address these issues. We have, for example, provided funding to a large UNICEF programme targeting female genital mutilation. The issue of abductions was raised at the EU dialogue on 23 October and we have given significant funding to Save the Children (UK) for its work with the Committee for the Eradication of Abduction of Women and Children, and through the EU to UNICEF.
	We have pushed hard for the ratification of the UN Convention Against Torture (CAT) and raised it most recently at the EU-Sudan dialogue on 23 October. Ratification of CAT is now being considered by the Council of Ministers before being submitted to the National Assembly. We also regularly lobby on individual reports of torture and other abuses, working closely with the Sudanese Victims of Torture Group.

Sudan

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last discussed the human rights record of Sudan with the Sudanese Government.

Ben Bradshaw: On 21 September when my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary met the Sudanese Foreign Minister in London. The promotion of human rights remains one of our priorities in Sudan and our Embassy in Khartoum is in constant touch with the Government of Sudan. Human rights are also a key focus of the EU-Sudan dialogue, which met most recently on 23 October.

Sudan

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent contact he has had with representatives of the Sudanese People's Liberation Army or the Sudanese People's Liberation Movement.

Ben Bradshaw: We keep in regular contact with SPLA/M through our Embassy in Khartoum and our High Commission in Nairobi. We have also invited Dr. John Garang to visit London.

Moluccas

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  if he will make a statement on the situation in the Moluccas;
	(2)  if he will take steps to clarify the approach of the United Nations towards the Moluccas.

Ben Bradshaw: There have been some optimistic signs in Maluku in recent months. However, we continue to monitor events in the province closely. The United Nations has made several assessment visits to Maluku since 1999. It has found concrete evidence of only a small number of conversions, including the most highly reported case in Kasiui and Tior. Many of the Christians evacuated from the province in January are now reported to be voluntarily returning to their homes. Also, many Muslims and Christians who fled their villages to escape the violence are returning and Muslim leaders in some villages have asked for help in encouraging Christians to return.
	The Department for International Development (DFID) has pledged more than 4 million to help establish the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Conflict Prevention and Recovery Unit in Jakarta. The unit will build capacity in conflict reduction and recovery in the provinces torn apart by ethnic conflict, particularly in north Maluku. These new initiatives will complement DFID-supported humanitarian relief programmes by addressing the causes underlying conflictabuse of power, alienation and loss of access to and control of resources essential for every day life. We will continue to work with the Indonesian authorities and UNDP to promote a reconciliation, begin wider reconstruction work and to offer practical assistance where appropriate.
	The UK's message to the Indonesian Government has been consistently clear: a long-term solution to regional conflicts can be achieved only through political negotiation and consultation with the people. I raised these issues with Hamzah Haz, the Indonesian Vice President when we met in Jakarta on 27 August.

Nigeria

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the inter-religious conflict that has erupted in the Jos area of Nigeria.

Ben Bradshaw: From 7 to 12 September there was serious fighting in the Jos area where ethnic (Hausa/Berom) and religious (Muslim/Christian) divisions coincide. Religious leaders on both sides have told us they consider the fundamental cause of the clashes to be traditional tribal rivalries about land and local politics.

Nigeria

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the Nigerian Government on the imposition of Sharia law in parts of the country.

Ben Bradshaw: Our High Commission in Abuja has regular discussions with a cross-section of authorities and civil society about developments in northern Nigeria, including the imposition and implementation of Sharia law.
	The constitutionality of the introduction of the Sharia penal code by individual states is currently the subject of a Nigerian court case.

Selim Ferhan Onal

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he will make a decision on the appeal for admittance made by Selim Ferhan Onal.

Ben Bradshaw: This is not a matter for the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs. All appeals against the refusal of entry clearance are heard by independent adjudicators from the Lord Chancellor's Department.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Stakeholder Pensions

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if the target group for stakeholder pensions is as set out in the 1998 Green Paper, Partnership for Pensions.

Ian McCartney: As stated in the 1998 Pensions Green Paper stakeholder pension schemes are open to everyone, but are particularly targeted at moderate and higher earners who do not have access to an occupational pension or to a cost-effective personal pension.

New Deal

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will list the targets he has set in respect of the New Deal.

Nick Brown: The Department's Public Service Agreement sets the following targets: (1) to reduce child poverty by a quarter by 2004; (2) to increase employment over the economic cycle; (3) to increase the employment rates of disadvantaged groups, reducing the difference between their employment rates and the overall rate.

Benefit Fraud

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  if he will estimate the total advertising costs for anti-benefit fraud campaigns in financial years (a) 199798, (b) 199899, (c) 19992000 and (d) 200001;
	(2)  if he will estimate the total advertising cost for the Targeting Fraud campaign.

Nick Brown: The Informal EconomyA Report by Lord Grabiner QC (published March 2000), proposed that we test the use of advertising as a tool for changing public attitudes towards benefit fraud. We responded by piloting the Targeting Fraud advertising campaign in the north-west. Expenditure on this was 2.2 million spanning the financial years 19992000 and 200001. The success of the pilot campaign led to the launch of the national Targeting Fraud campaign. The initial spell of advertising in March 2001 cost 4.6 million and a forecast 9 million will be spent on the campaign running from September 2001 to March 2002.
	Around 400,000 is currently spent each year to promote the National Benefit Fraud Hotline, including the Shared Fraud Hotline pilot.
	These campaigns are part of a long-term strategy to reinforce our message that benefit fraud is wrong, unfair and will not be tolerated.

Benefit Fraud

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what checks are undertaken on benefit claimants who arrive in the UK from abroad to establish if they have been found guilty of benefit fraud in the country they have left.

Malcolm Wicks: A conviction for benefit fraud in another country does not affect entitlement to benefits in this country. Therefore this would not be checked when a claim to benefits is made.

Benefit Fraud

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if private fraud investigators contracted by local authorities have the same access to Department for Works and Pensions staff as in-house local authority fraud investigators.

Malcolm Wicks: The Department's staff work with contracted out local authority fraud investigators in the normal way as long as we are satisfied that proper protocols are observed and that all legislative constraints are adhered to.

Benefit Fraud

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what measures he intends to take to combat fraudulent benefit claims from people who spend the majority of the year abroad, once compulsory automated credit transfer is introduced.

Malcolm Wicks: Automated Credit Transfer (ACT) is already chosen by nearly 40 per cent. of benefit recipients to access their benefit payments via bank accounts.
	The introduction of ACT as the Department's normal method of payment should result in the virtual eradication of Order Book and Giro fraud losses.
	The Department has undertaken research to assess the level of fraudulent benefit claims from people who are abroad; contrary to the regulations for certain benefits. Research shows that where there are instances of fraud, it is low both in number and value.
	Deciding on counter-measures will depend on whether research reveals there are significant extra risks associated with ACT and their exact nature and extent. Research is on-going, and the situation will continue to be under review.

Cheney Pension Scheme

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on the progress of investigations into the Cheney Pension Scheme and the actions of Kevin Gordon Sykes.

Ian McCartney: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State asked Sir Gerald Hosker KCB QC to conduct an independent inquiry into the handling within Opra of the Cheney case and to report his findings to Ministers. We have received the report which contains a number of recommendations involving changes to Opra's procedures and legislation. Because of on-going police investigations it cannot be published until those investigations and any subsequent judicial processes are at an end. I will report further to Parliament at that time. In addition my right hon. Friend will shortly be announcing the Quinquennial Review of Opra, which will take a fundamental look at the delivery of Opra's functions and services.
	To address weaknesses in the system highlighted by the Cheney Case, Opra has also conducted its own internal review and, as a result of this and the Hosker recommendations, has introduced the following changes to its casework handling procedures:
	introduced specialist teams
	improved risk assessment procedures: higher risk cases are given the greatest attention
	developed improvements to the computer database, including computer based recording of all casework activity
	introduced regular routine searches of the database on key individuals involved in a case
	commissioned a major IT project to automate data matching.
	I shall keep the House informed.

Invalid Care Allowance

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has to introduce legislation to continue invalid care allowance for up to eight weeks after the death of the person being cared for; and if he will make a statement.

Maria Eagle: We propose to make this change by Regulatory Reform Order. The necessary consultation ended on 15 October 2001. We will lay the order as soon as practicable and it will be considered by the Deregulation Committee thereafter. Following a period of 60 days, it will be laid before the House using the Superaffirmative Procedure. A similar procedure will be followed in the other place.

Housing Benefit

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has to review the level of Housing Benefit payable to under-18 year olds; and if he will make a statement.

Malcolm Wicks: Most 16 and 17-year-olds are eligible for Housing Benefit in the same way as all people aged under 25. The amounts allowed under the scheme to meet day-to-day living expenses before housing costs are reviewed each year and approved by Parliament through the uprating order.
	The level of Housing Benefit payable to people aged under 25 is subject to the Single Room Rent rules which restrict the amount of rent which can be met. As part of our reform of Housing Benefit, the definition of the Single Room Rent was broadened from 2 July this year to reflect better the type of accommodation available in the market to young single people.
	16 and 17-year-olds leaving local authority care are not entitled to Housing Benefit. Social services departments have a statutory responsibility to fund the housing costs of these young people, where appropriate.
	We have no plans to review the current rules.

Incapacity Benefit

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if Jobcentre Plus offices will be set targets for reducing the number of people dependent on Incapacity Benefit.

Malcolm Wicks: No.

Incapacity Benefit

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many (a) men and (b) women claiming Incapacity Benefit and its predecessors received credits only in each year from 1984.

Malcolm Wicks: The information is in the table.
	
		Thousand 
		
			 Year ending Men Women 
		
		
			 31 March 1984 30 27 
			 30 March 1985 23 22 
			 5 April 1986 30 28 
			 4 April 1987 40 38 
			 2 April 1988 51 59 
			 1 April 1989(5) 70 87 
			 31 March 1990 95 110 
			 30 March 1991 126 137 
			 4 April 1992 160 160 
			 3 April 1993 201 185 
			 2 April 1994 233 207 
			 12 April 1995 277 235 
			 29 February 1996(6) 320 260 
			 28 February 1997 341 273 
			 28 February 1998 372 293 
			 28 February 1999 395 315 
			 29 February 2000 419 331 
			 28 February 2001 447 358 
		
	
	(5) From 2 October 1988 the national insurance contribution test for Sickness Benefit had to be satisfied in the last two relevant tax years before the claim instead of the last one.
	(6) Incapacity Benefit replaced Sickness Benefit and Invalidity Benefit on 13 April 1995.
	Note:
	All figures are rounded to the nearest thousand.
	Source:
	Figures are taken from a 1 per cent. sample of claims to Sickness Benefit up to and including 1995. After this date figures are based on a 5 per cent. sample of the Incapacity Benefit computer system and will exclude a small number of clerically held cases.

Incapacity Benefit

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if an Incapacity Benefit claimant taking part in the New Deal for Disabled People in a pilot area for the Social Security (Jobcentre Plus Interviews) Regulation 2001 will (a) see the same personal adviser and (b) attend the same venue, for a work focused interview.

Malcolm Wicks: People already claiming Incapacity Benefit in a Jobcentre Plus or work focused interview area are unaffected by the regulations. The only people to be affected are those making new or repeat claims. In these cases, people eligible for the New Deal for Disabled People (NDDP) will normally be given information about NDDP and details of local Job Brokers at their work focused interview. If they wish to take part in NDDP further support will be provided by their chosen Job Broker.

Incapacity Benefit

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions which categories of Incapacity Benefit recipients will be automatically exempt from work focused interviews.

Malcolm Wicks: From Monday 22 October Jobcentre Plus interviews are a condition of benefit entitlement for all people making new or repeat claims to Incapacity Benefit in Jobcentre Plus pathfinder offices. The Jobcentre Plus interview regulations provide for the waiver or deferment of the interviews in certain circumstances. Information on the circumstances in which a waiver or deferral may be appropriate is set out clearly in the Jobcentre Plus guidance, a copy of which is in the Library.

Benefit Payments (Automated Credit Transfer)

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if all benefit recipients will be able to choose their frequency of payment once automated credit transfer becomes compulsory; and which payment options will be offered.

Malcolm Wicks: From 2003, customers will be able to receive payments on a weekly, fortnightly, four-weekly, thirteen-weekly or yearly basis. The precise frequency will depend on the payment rules which apply to the particular benefit they are receiving.
	This means, in particular, that, for the first time, retirement pensioners will be able to receive weekly payments by ACT.

Benefit Payments (Automated Credit Transfer)

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many benefit recipients who did not receive their benefit via automated credit transfer when their current claim began have voluntarily opted to be paid this way in the last year for which records are available, broken down into recipients of each benefit.

Malcolm Wicks: The information is not available in the format requested.

TREASURY

Independent Insurance

James Clappison: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received concerning the former employees of Independent Insurance; what assessment he has made of the employment rights of insurance company employees in the light of the collapse of Independent Insurance; and if he will make a statement.

Alan Johnson: I have been asked to reply.
	I have received a number of representations about redundancy payments for former employees of Independent Insurance. The Department's Redundancy Payments Service has agreed to make redundancy payments under the provisions of the Employment Rights Act 1996, to the former employees and nearly all these payments have been made. Employees of insurance companies have the same rights as other employees under the 1996 Act.

Scottish Transport Group Pension Fund

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make it his policy to use money paid to the Exchequer from the Scottish Transport Group pension fund to make payments to Scottish Transport Group pensioners; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Smith: holding answer 18 July 2001
	While there is no legal entitlement for Scottish Transport Group pension scheme members to share in the pension surplus at wind up, Scottish Executive Ministers, following agreement with Treasury Ministers, will make ex gratia payments to eligible pension scheme members when the scheme is would up of around 100 million.

Scottish Transport Group Pension Fund

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer in what way the circumstances of the National Bus Group pension fund differ from those of the Scottish Transport Group pension fund as far as taxation of the surpluses thereof is concerned.

Andrew Smith: holding answer 23 October 2001
	A surplus from a pension fund scheme can carry a tax liability. A tax charge is provided for under section 601 of the Income and Corporation Taxes Act 1988. It applies to all payments to an employer from the funds of an exempt approved pension scheme, as the Scottish Transport Group schemes are and the National Bus Company schemes were.
	The tax payable on payments to pensioners will depend on the nature of the payment and the personal tax circumstances of the individual. Payments to Scottish Transport Group pensioners have not yet been finalised by the Scottish Executive.

Climate Change Levy

David Lidington: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the impact which the climate change levy has had on employment in the manufacturing sector since its introduction.

Paul Boateng: The climate change levy only became operational in April this year and the first payments are still being received by Customs and Excise. While it is too early for a full assessment, the levy is operating in the planned revenue neutral manner.

Customs and Excise

David Lidington: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the progress made in implementing the new IT infrastructure for HM Customs and Excise.

Paul Boateng: The implementation of Customs' new IT infrastructure is proceeding to plan. By the end of October 2001, 16,000 personnel computers and laptops will have been installed in over 200 offices nationwide, accessible to more than 80 per cent. of Customs' staff.

Customs and Excise

David Lidington: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of telephone calls to designated inquiry points in HM Customs and Excise were answered within 20 seconds in (a) 200001 and (b) 200102 to the most recent date for which information is available.

Paul Boateng: In the year 1 April 2000 to 31 March 2001 HM Customs and Excise answered 55 per cent. of calls to designated inquiry points within 20 seconds.
	From 2 April 2001, Customs' new National Advice Service (a virtual call-centre linking six sites with a single inquiries number) has been in place to improve the speed and quality of responses to inquiries. By the half year point 60 per cent. of calls were answered within 20 seconds; and by the end of the financial year the Department expects to be answering 80 per cent. within that time.

Customs and Excise

David Lidington: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer in respect of (a) the financial year 200001 and (b) 200102 to the most recent date for which information is available, how many Customs officers have (i) been recruited by HM Customs and Excise, (ii) retired from HM Customs and Excise and (c) left HM Customs and Excise for reasons other than retirement.

Paul Boateng: There are no separate recruitment, retirement and resignation figures for staff employed on customs work. Staff for all areas of work in the Department are recruited through common recruitment arrangements.

Customs and Excise

Peter Duncan: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will increase the number of Customs and Excise officers in the Orkney and Shetland Isles.

Paul Boateng: holding answer 23 October 2001
	There are no current plans to deploy additional staff in these locations. Staff deployments are kept constantly under review by the Commissioners of HM Customs and Excise and are based on risk and results.

Customs and Excise

David Lidington: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many Customs officers are in post at each port in the United Kingdom.

Paul Boateng: Customs and Excise Law Enforcement comprises a Detection function of over 3,000 officers, an Investigation function of just under 2,000 officers and an Intelligence function of more than 1,000 officers. These officers are located at ports, airports, inland locations and in flexible national teams which can be deployed to any location. In addition there are just over 1,500 officers employed on the control of imported/exported goods covering all major ports and airports. Customs constantly review resource deployment in the light of risk and results. It is not Customs policy to identify actual staffing resources at individual locations as this may assist criminals in identifying Customs' operational methods and would enable them to bypass Customs' controls.

Environmental Taxation

Michael Weir: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much environmental taxation has been collected by the Treasury in each of the past five financial years broken down by type of tax.

Paul Boateng: holding answer 19 October 2001
	The Government publish figures for revenue receipts for all taxes in the pre-Budget report and the Budget.

Child Pornography

David Lidington: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many detections of indecent or obscene material featuring children were made by Customs and Excise in 200001.

Paul Boateng: holding answer 22 October 2001
	Information on detections of obscene material made during 200001 will shortly be published in Customs' annual departmental report.

Dredging

Norman Lamb: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much income has been raised by the Crown Estates from dredging licences issued in respect of dredging offshore in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Smith: the income derived from dredging licences issued for the last five years as published in the Crown Estates' annual report is as follows.
	
		
			   million 
		
		
			 2001 13.8 
			 2000 13.3 
			 1999 12.16 
			 1998 12.8 
			 1997 14.3

Public Expenditure (Scotland)

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer for each year since 1979, what the total sum was, in real terms, of public expenditure spent by the (a) Scottish Office, (b) Scotland Office and (c) Scottish Executive that was negotiated externally from the block grant and Barnett formula; and what was for each year (i) the single largest item of such expenditure and (ii) the total amount of such expenditure.

Andrew Smith: This information is not readily available. Moreover, coverage of the block grant arrangements has changed over the period since 1979, which makes comparisons over this period difficult. However, information on Scottish public expenditure back to 199596 was published in Chapter 8 of Public Expenditure Statistical Analyses in April 2001. Information for earlier years was published in previous editions of Public Expenditure Statistical Analyses.

Productivity

Michael Howard: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry regarding the effect on UK productivity of (a) the regulatory burden on business and (b) the climate change levy. [R]

Paul Boateng: The Chancellor discusses a wide range of issues, including regulation, with Government colleagues and takes into account relevant economic, social and environmental factors when forming taxation policy.

Tax Revenues

Michael Howard: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if tax revenues predicted for the current financial year are so far on target; and if he will identify specific shortfalls or surpluses.

Andrew Smith: Updated public finance forecasts will be made available in the forthcoming pre-Budget report.

Foot and Mouth

Tim Collins: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he will announce conclusions on the proposals for extended relief for business rates and VAT for businesses affected by the foot and mouth outbreak, as set out in the Haskins report.

Paul Boateng: Customs and Inland Revenue have worked jointly to respond to the needs of businesses affected by foot and mouth disease. A joint helpline was set up on 21 March 2001 to offer immediate advice, and this was followed by the publication of a special tax bulletin giving further information. The majority of contacts were from businesses experiencing financial difficulties, and were assisted by deferring liabilities or agreeing time to pay.
	A programme of proactive support was also established. In affected areas, both Departments telephoned businesses identified as likely to need support and attended many meetings set up by support agencies.
	The Revenue departments will continue to take a sympathetic approach to businesses which have been affected by FMD, and are aware that some businesses will continue to suffer problems throughout the autumn and winter.

Parliamentary Questions

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he will answer the question tabled by the hon. Member for Yeovil on 20 July 2001 [ref 200].

Paul Boateng: I very much regret that Treasury Ministers are not yet in a position to provide the hon. Member with the information he is seeking. However, the Economic Secretary will write to the hon. Member shortly.

Self-assessment Tax Returns

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish the data for each month since 1 October 2000 on how many self-assessment tax returns were (a) issued, (b) received, (c) waiting to be processed and (d) processed; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Smith: The information requested is as detailed:
	
		Self-assessment tax returns
		
			 Tax year/date Issued Received Processed Waiting to be processed 
		
		
			 19992000 
			 1 October 2000 9,159,211 4,263,614 2,778,869 1,484,745 
			 29 October 2000 9,221,121 4,907,091 3,736,857 1,170,234 
			 26 November 2000 9,281,440 5,330,866 4,643,537 687,329 
			 31 December 2000 9,335,823 5,859,044 5,288,979 570,065 
			 28 January 2001 9,416,617 7,219,404 6,113,168 1,106,236 
			 25 February 2001 9,502,295 8,612,114 7,160,650 1,451,464 
			 25 March 2001 9,532,442 8,750,042 8,323,890 426,152 
			  
			 200001 
			 29 April 2001 8,761,593 243,350 76,410 166,940 
			 27 May 2001 8,852,094 629,980 328,328 301,652 
			 1 July 2001 8,940,513 1,323,115 864,497 458,618 
			 29 July 2001 8,990,292 1,943,901 1,350,597 593,304 
			 2 September 2001 8,989,043 2,798,153 1,966,795 831,358 
			 30 September 2001 9,152,255 4,241,952 2,677,145 1,564,807

SOLICITOR-GENERAL

Ministerial Visits

Graham Brady: To ask the Solicitor-General if she will list the persons who accompanied her on her visit to Brazil from 30 July to 1 August; and what was the cost of the visit.

Harriet Harman: Neither I nor the Attorney- General have visited Brazil, either between 30 July and 1 August, or at all since our appointment in June 2001 this year.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Policing (Bromley) Child Curfew Orders

John Horam: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many curfew orders have been imposed on young people in the London borough of Bromley.

John Denham: No applications have been received to impose child curfew schemes under section 14 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998. Sections 48 and 49 of the Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001, which took effect on 1 August 2001, have recently extended the upper age limit to 15 and allowed the police, as well as local authorities, to initiate schemes. Local areas are assessing the implications of these changes.

Religious Hatred

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to extend offences which involve aggravation by racial hatred to include aggravation by religious hatred; and if he will make a statement.

John Denham: holding answer 24 October 2001
	The Government intend to bring forward proposals to extend the law on racially aggravated offences, to cover offences aggravated by religious hostility.
	The Government have also announced their intention to propose this change as part of a package of measures to strengthen the incitement to racial hatred provisions contained in Part III of the Public Order Act 1986 and in particular to extend those provisions to the incitement to religious hatred.

Metropolitan Police Numbers

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many officers were serving in the Special Branch of the Metropolitan police on (a) 1 August and (b) 1 October;
	(2)  how many police officers there were in the Metropolitan police force area in (a) March 1997 and (b) March 2001; what the difference between these two figures adjusted for boundary changes is; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  how many police were available for active duty in the Metropolitan police force area in (a) March 1997, (b) March 1999, (c) March 2000, and (d) March 2001; and if he will make a statement.

John Denham: holding answer 24 October 2001
	On 31 March 1997 the Metropolitan police had 26,677 police officers and on 31 March 2001 there were 24,878. I am told by the Commissioner that 466 police officers were seconded to the forces of Essex, Hertfordshire and Surrey when the boundary change took effect on 1 April 2000. 253 of these officers have now returned to the Metropolitan police and the remainder should have returned by March 2002. They will return as and when replacements are recruited by the three forces.
	The effects of the boundary change were incorporated into the police funding formula and the overall transfer was in terms of financial resources, not of officers. Where data on police numbers are used in the formula, a notional transfer of 887 from the Metropolitan police to the three county forces was applied. Because it is for police authorities and chief constables to decide how resources are utilised, it is not appropriate to convert the notional transfer directly into a full-time equivalent strength for the Metropolitan police immediately prior to the boundary changes.
	I am told by the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that the force had 538 Special Branch officers on 1 August and 552 on 1 October 2001.
	The number of officers available for active duty cannot be provided by the Metropolitan police. Figures in the table are those for ordinary duty 1 for the periods requested.
	
		
			 Year Strength 
		
		
			 31 March 1997 26,677 
			 31 March 1999 26,073 
			 31 March 2000 25,485 
			 31 March 2001 24,878 
		
	
	Police numbers in the Metropolitan police have been increasing since September 2000. Between 30 September 2000 and 31 March 2001 police strength increased by 183. This was the largest single increase in police numbers in the force for more than a decade. The overall reduction between March 2000 and March 2001 largely reflects the impact of boundary changes in April 2000.
	1 Ordinary duty is equal to the strength of the force.

Police Reform

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on his proposals for the future role of police constables.

John Denham: holding answer 24 October 2001
	The Government will publish later this year a White Paper setting out their proposals for reform of the police service. The reforms will further enhance the professionalism of constables, ensure that they are well trained, well equipped and appropriately rewarded and enjoy strong leadership and effective management.

Police Reform

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on his proposals for the use of non-police personnel for policing tasks.

John Denham: holding answer 24 October 2001
	The police reform process is considering ways in which police support staff might carry out certain functions currently undertaken by police officers, for example, some tasks in the custody suite.

Security Situation (Funding)

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he has had with the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis about extra funding to cover the present security situation; and if he will make a statement.

John Denham: holding answer 24 October 2001
	My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary has met the Commissioner and the Chair of the Metropolitan Police Authority (MPA) on several occasions, during which policing the light of the security situation since 11 September has been discussed.
	Operational policing is a matter for the Commissioner and it is for the Authority and the Commissioner to decide how best to manage individual issues within the Authority's budget. However, my right hon. Friend does appreciate the impact of the additional resources that the Commissioner and the MPA are providing to counter the increased risks to security, and is considering with them the financial implications.

Closed Circuit Television

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what extra funds are available for the extension of CCTV programmes in (a) town centres and (b) urban areas.

John Denham: Under Round 2 of the Crime Reduction Programme Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) Initiative, 142 town centre schemes have been allocated funding to date, with a further eight still under consideration. Of these, 80 are extensions to existing CCTV schemes.
	130 urban area schemes have been allocated funding to date, with a further 13 still under consideration. Of these, 13 are extensions to existing CCTV schemes.
	There will be no further opportunities to apply for CCTV funding under this initiative. We are considering how best to build on the lessons of the Crime Reduction Programme in developing new crime reduction initiatives that could provide future funding for CCTV.

Criminal Records Bureau

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the Criminal Records Bureau will start operating; on what date it was planned to start operating; what the reasons are for the delay; and if he will make a statement.

John Denham: The establishment of the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) has long been recognised as a complex and challenging project. This was acknowledged in the report of the Home Affairs Committee published on 28 March, which also perceived that the crucial consideration should be to ensure that the service that the CRB will provide is both robust and effective, rather than aim for a particular date to begin operating.
	The registration process began on 1 May. The target date for commencing the issue of Standard and Enhanced Disclosures has been kept under review as the project has progressed. Latterly, the target date was November. But, in the light of an independent review, it has been decided to add two further stages prior to the commencement of live operations. These will enable the CRB's disclosure service to be rigorously tested in a simulated operational environment, in order to provide added confidence in the bureau's state of preparedness to begin delivering a high standard of service.
	It remains the intention to introduce the service on a phased basis. Subject to the testing outlined, it is expected that the CRB will start processing applications at the beginning of March 2002 in respect of cases which are subject to police checks under present arrangements; and all other applications for Standard and Enhanced Disclosures at the beginning of April.

Special Constables (West Midlands)

Ross Cranston: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many special constables (a) were recruited to and (b) left the West Midlands force in each of the last five years.

John Denham: The recruitment and wastage figures for West Midlands special constabulary for the period March 1997-March 2001 are set out in the table.
	
		
			  Recruitment Wastage 
		
		
			 1997 398 350 
			 1998 213 243 
			 1999 145 206 
			 2000 115 116 
			 2001 120 150 
		
	
	Source:
	Figures supplied by Home Office Research, Development and Statistics Directorate
	Home Office funded research into the premature wastage of special constables, completed last year, found that the primary reasons for leaving were often external to the service. However, the research identified some underlying management factors contributing to the decision to resign.
	Recommendations aimed at reducing the wastage included making improvements to: the flexibility of duties and hours offered; the management structure within which specials operate; the quality of training provided locally; and to local efforts to monitor and prevent wastage.
	The Government are committed to increasing the special constabulary and as part of the police reform process we are looking at radical improvements in the management, welfare and deployment of special constables.

Sporting Events (Fireworks)

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce legislation to make it a criminal offence for members of the crowd at sporting events to set off fireworks; and if he will make a statement.

John Denham: The police already possess extensive powers for tackling the setting off of fireworks at sporting events, including powers under the Public Order Act 1986. This matter was examined as part of a recent review of cricket disorder when it was decided not to extend football-related legislation to other sporting events, none of which have comparable disorder problems.

Antisocial Behaviour Orders

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of those under antisocial behaviour orders have breached the terms of the orders since the commencement of the scheme; and if he will make a statement.

John Denham: An estimate of the percentage of antisocial behaviour orders (ASBOs) which have been breached will be included in the review of ASBOs which we are aiming to publish in due course.

Gatwick Airport

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent representations he has received from Sussex police concerning budgetary implications of additional policing requirements at Gatwick Airport; and if he will make a statement.

John Denham: I have not received any representations. Gatwick Airport is a designated airport under the provisions of the Aviation Security Act 1982. As such the policing arrangements are subject to agreement between the Sussex police and Gatwick Airport Ltd.

Hijacking (Stansted)

Neil Gerrard: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many of the passengers from the plane hijacked from Afghanistan to Stansted who were neither charged in relation to the hijacking nor are family members of those charged, and who made claims for asylum (a) have had decisions made on their claims, (b) have had their claims accepted or been granted exceptional leave to remain, (c) are still waiting for decisions on their claims or (d) are being held in detention.

Angela Eagle: 39 passengers, who were neither charged in relation to the hijacking nor are family members of those charged, claimed asylum. All 39 have had decisions made on their claims for asylum. Four have been granted asylum (plus 13 dependants) and 35 (plus five dependants) have had their applications refused. None of those refused asylum are being held in detention.

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

Teacher Vacancies Survey

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when she will publish the results of the telephone survey about vacancies conducted by her Department during September.

Stephen Timms: The results of the DfES sample telephone survey have been published. I refer the hon. Member to my response issued today to the hon. Member for Ashford (Mr. Green). The results of the survey are also available on my Department's website: www.dfes.gov.uk.

Early Years Education

Andy Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what representations she has received from Leicestershire about early years development funding in this financial year; and if she will make a statement.

Stephen Timms: We have received a number of representations from MPs and members of the public with regard to the provision of free early education for three- year-olds in Leicestershire. In 200102 Leicestershire has been allocated 3.1 million of Government funding to create around 2,600 free early education places for this group. Additional Government funding is being progressively allocated to all local authorities so that, by September 2004, all three-year-olds will have access to a free place. This is on top of any funding made available by local authorities themselves.
	In the first term of this financial year, Leicestershire has committed more funds than it had agreed with the Department that the Government would supply for that term. This is an issue for the local authority itself to resolve but we are working with it to provide what assistance we can within the existing budget.

Early Years Education

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many places were provided in early years settings for (a) three-year-olds and (b) four- year-olds; how many were taken up; and how many children were identified by the local early years plan as in need of early years education, broken down by local education authority, in the last 12 months.

Stephen Timms: holding answer 24 October 2001
	Not all the data requested are available centrally.
	Since September 1998, all four-year-olds have had access to a free early education place. The table shows, by local education authority area, the number of free early education places for three-year-olds that the Government will fund during the financial year 200102. These places are in addition to those already made available by local authorities from their own resources. Information on the number of places taken up will be collected in the spring term 2002.
	
		Number of free early education places for three-year-olds that the Government will fund during the financial year 200102 by local education authority area
		
			 LEA  Places allocation 
		
		
			 Barking and Dagenham 446 
			 Barnet 250 
			 Barnsley 885 
			 Bath and North East Somerset 413 
			  
			 Bedfordshire 689 
			 Bexley 1,000 
			 Birmingham 6,800 
			 Blackburn with Darwen 887 
			 Blackpool 1,091 
			 Bolton 923 
			 Bournemouth 1,033 
			 Bracknell Forest 661 
			 Bradford 1,410 
			 Brent 1,017 
			 Brighton and Hove 1,503 
			 Bristol, City of 1,017 
			 Bromley 1,189 
			 Buckinghamshire 1,670 
			 Bury 504 
			 Calderdale 806 
			 Cambridgeshire 1,529 
			 Camden 831 
			 Cheshire 963 
			 City of London 12 
			 Cornwall 2,104 
			 Coventry 1,575 
			 Croydon 990 
			 Cumbria 808 
			 Darlington 197 
			 Derby 687 
			 Derbyshire 3,155 
			 Devon 1,811 
			 Doncaster 731 
			 Dorset 1,274 
			 Dudley 699 
			 Durham 1,181 
			 Ealing 743 
			 East Riding of Yorkshire 244 
			 East Sussex 1,656 
			 Enfield 1,362 
			 Essex 4,410 
			 Gateshead 640 
			 Gloucestershire 3,486 
			 Greenwich 890 
			 Hackney 1,489 
			 Halton 611 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 595 
			 Hampshire 5,119 
			 Haringey 807 
			 Harrow 434 
			 Hartlepool 115 
			 Havering 1,253 
			 Herefordshire 384 
			 Hertfordshire 610 
			 Hillingdon 704 
			 Hounslow 688 
			 Isle of Wight 556 
			 Isles of Scilly 19 
			 Islington 979 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 695 
			 Kent 5,267 
			 Kingston upon Hull, City of 627 
			 Kingston upon Thames 85 
			 Kirklees 1,605 
			 Knowsley 45 
			 Lambeth 1,646 
			 Lancashire 5,008 
			 Leeds 1,815 
			 Leicester 1,762 
			 Leicestershire 2,638 
			 Lewisham 1,566 
			 Lincolnshire 1,071 
			 Liverpool 1,430 
			 Luton 1,237 
			 Manchester 867 
			  
			 Medway 2,266 
			 Merton 151 
			 Middlesbrough 166 
			 Milton Keynes 834 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne 1,052 
			 Newham 1,116 
			 Norfolk 1,885 
			 North East Lincolnshire 629 
			 North Lincolnshire 729 
			 North Somerset 688 
			 North Tyneside 394 
			 North Yorkshire 2,392 
			 Northamptonshire 957 
			 Northumberland 591 
			 Nottingham 956 
			 Nottinghamshire 1,210 
			 Oldham 1,086 
			 Oxfordshire 1,977 
			 Peterborough 695 
			 Plymouth 1,318 
			 Poole 1,039 
			 Portsmouth 1,229 
			 Reading 250 
			 Redbridge 956 
			 Redcar and Cleveland 30 
			 Richmond upon Thames 304 
			 Rochdale 1,076 
			 Rotherham 1,186 
			 Rutland 40 
			 Salford 394 
			 Sandwell 591 
			 Sefton 750 
			 Sheffield 2,565 
			 Shropshire 748 
			 Slough 378 
			 Solihull 197 
			 Somerset 1,704 
			 South Gloucestershire 953 
			 South Tyneside 382 
			 Southampton 2,042 
			 Southend-on-Sea 633 
			 Southwark 995 
			 St. Helens 725 
			 Staffordshire 1,132 
			 Stockport 197 
			 Stockton-on-Tees 336 
			 Stoke-on-Trent 563 
			 Suffolk 2,693 
			 Sunderland 796 
			 Surrey 3,264 
			 Sutton 657 
			 Swindon 646 
			 Tameside 608 
			 Telford and Wrekin 1,444 
			 Thurrock 547 
			 Torbay 426 
			 Tower Hamlets 591 
			 Trafford 197 
			 Wakefield 658 
			 Walsall 394 
			 Waltham Forest 1,562 
			 Wandsworth 1,726 
			 Warrington 1,350 
			 Warwickshire 1,575 
			 West Berkshire 421 
			 West Sussex 2,534 
			 Westminster 918 
			 Wigan 1,583 
			 Wiltshire 1,762 
			 Windsor and Maidenhead 318 
			 Wirral 1,487 
			  
			 Wokingham 572 
			 Wolverhampton 394 
			 Worcestershire 1,166 
			 York 1,073

Education Spending

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what proportion of total spending on education in the UK is devolved to schools and colleges.

Stephen Timms: This Government have increased total spending on education in the UK by over 12 billion (33 per cent.) since taking office. Of the amounts which are relevant to schools and colleges 79 per cent. of the total expenditure is currently devolved to schools and colleges in England. The figures for other countries are a matter for the devolved Administrations.

Education Funding

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the average pupil funding per head was in each local education authority in each of the last three years.

Stephen Timms: The table gives, for the financial years 19992000, 200001 and 200102 the funding that was treated as delegated to schools by local education authorities in England.
	
		Englanddelegated funding to schools
		
			 per pupil  
			 LEA name 19992000 200001 200102 
		
		
			 Barking and Dagenham 2,382 2,587 2,855 
			 Barnet 2,558 2,635 2,901 
			 Barnsley 1,858 2,158 2,387 
			 Bath and North East Somerset 2,216 2,373 2,471 
			 Bedfordshire 2,178 2,354 2,488 
			 Bexley 2,081 2,265 2,469 
			 Birmingham 2,446 2,718 2,887 
			 Blackburn with Darwen 2,139 2,469 2,613 
			 Blackpool 1,955 2,220 2,445 
			 Bolton 2,036 2,258 2,381 
			 Bournemouth 2,117 2,354 2,458 
			 Bracknell Forest 2,073 2,236 2,388 
			 Bradford 2,026 2,363 2,591 
			 Brent 2,714 2,823 2,973 
			 Brighton and Hove 2,157 2,352 2,631 
			 Bristol City 2,337 2,532 2,696 
			 Bromley 2,167 2,333 2,482 
			 Buckinghamshire 2,015 2,143 2,327 
			 Bury 1,949 2,169 2,264 
			 Calderdale 2,076 2,238 2,463 
			 Cambridgeshire 1,869 2,141 2,337 
			 Camden 2,957 3,323 3,676 
			 Cheshire 2,107 2,239 2,370 
			 Cornwall 1,936 2,141 2,366 
			 Coventry 2,268 2,445 2,614 
			 Croydon 2,313 2,561 2,656 
			 Cumbria 2,118 2,336 2,477 
			 Darlington 1,988 2,149 2,350 
			 Derby City 2,024 2,242 2,450 
			 Derbyshire 1,998 2,170 2,294 
			 Devon 2,026 2,146 2,349 
			 Doncaster 2,109 2,298 2,430 
			  
			 Dorset 1,984 2,177 2,446 
			 Dudley 2,115 2,255 2,296 
			 Durham 2,068 2,278 2,527 
			 Ealing 2,398 2,616 2,945 
			 East Riding of Yorkshire 2,095 2,242 2,415 
			 East Sussex 2,120 2,337 2,521 
			 Enfield 2,403 2,602 2,805 
			 Essex 2,203 2,371 2,535 
			 Gateshead 2,039 2,311 2,612 
			 Gloucestershire 2,035 2,181 2,286 
			 Greenwich 2,736 3,114 3,357 
			 Hackney 2,772 3,283 3,459 
			 Halton 2,163 2,473 2,651 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 2,928 3,239 3,508 
			 Hampshire 2,122 2,280 2,407 
			 Haringey 2,547 2,892 3,157 
			 Harrow 2,337 2,555 2,716 
			 Hartlepool 1,994 2,251 2,493 
			 Havering 2,311 2,454 2,694 
			 Herefordshire 1,953 2,192 2,313 
			 Hertfordshire 2,179 2,338 2,481 
			 Hillingdon 2,457 2,557 2,680 
			 Hounslow 2,515 2,667 2,928 
			 Hull City 2,064 2,340 2,613 
			 Isle of Wight 2,104 2,435 2,597 
			 Islington 2,760 3,055 3,381 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 3,150 3,554 3,728 
			 Kent 2,148 2,339 2,513 
			 Kingston upon Thames 2,272 2,386 2,633 
			 Kirklees 2,104 2,358 2,503 
			 Knowsley 2,178 2,462 2,778 
			 Lambeth 3,048 3,219 3,494 
			 Lancashire 2,045 2,235 2,442 
			 Leeds 2,135 2,369 2,560 
			 Leicester City 2,135 2,338 2,621 
			 Leicestershire 2,045 2,186 2,262 
			 Lewisham 2,802 3,098 3,311 
			 Lincolnshire 2,091 2,279 2,385 
			 Liverpool 2,232 2,631 2,845 
			 Luton 2,231 2,510 2,656 
			 Manchester 2,214 2,625 2,870 
			 Medway Towns 2,119 2,360 2,549 
			 Merton 2,308 2,546 2,694 
			 Middlesbrough 2,039 2,361 2,617 
			 Milton Keynes 2,115 2,285 2,523 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne 2,113 2,408 2,529 
			 Newham 2,234 2,678 3,021 
			 Norfolk 2,151 2,305 2,446 
			 North East Lincolnshire 2,120 2,377 2,494 
			 North Lincolnshire 2,028 2,261 2,448 
			 North Somerset 2,072 2,171 2,274 
			 North Tyneside 2,037 2,192 2,441 
			 North Yorkshire 2,127 2,339 2,450 
			 Northamptonshire 2,163 2,320 2,446 
			 Northumberland 2,031 2,177 2,416 
			 Nottingham City 2,316 2,541 2,797 
			 Nottinghamshire 2,107 2,254 2,371 
			 Oldham 2,173 2,409 2,530 
			 Oxfordshire 2,095 2,286 2,423 
			 Peterborough City 2,116 2,474 2,605 
			 Plymouth City 2,138 2,331 2,486 
			 Poole 2,068 2,283 2,400 
			 Portsmouth 2,333 2,547 2,683 
			 Reading 2,144 2,420 2,564 
			 Redbridge 2,337 2,512 2,752 
			 Redcar and Cleveland 2,023 2,285 2,482 
			 Richmond upon Thames 2,219 2,377 2,620 
			 Rochdale 2,005 2,216 2,463 
			 Rotherham 2,039 2,367 2,482 
			 Rutland 2,264 2,401 2,542 
			 Salford 2,030 2,511 2,599 
			 Sandwell 2,100 2,339 2,583 
			 Sefton 2,104 2,399 2,585 
			 Sheffield 2,047 2,318 2,430 
			 Shropshire 2,019 2,197 2,332 
			 Slough 2,431 2,644 2,809 
			  
			 Solihull 2,031 2,164 2,277 
			 Somerset 2,103 2,272 2,417 
			 South Gloucestershire 2,044 2,190 2,352 
			 South Tyneside 2,033 2,250 2,532 
			 Southampton 2,276 2,502 2,672 
			 Southend-on-Sea 2,351 2,587 2,685 
			 Southwark 2,701 3,183 3,365 
			 St. Helens 2,024 2,275 2,507 
			 Staffordshire 2,001 2,120 2,237 
			 Stockport 1,960 2,140 2,272 
			 Stockton on Tees 2,084 2,352 2,521 
			 Stoke-on-Trent 2,007 2,246 2,466 
			 Suffolk 2,163 2,325 2,440 
			 Sunderland 2,098 2,271 2,489 
			 Surrey 2,112 2,294 2,473 
			 Sutton 2,295 2,466 2,605 
			 Swindon 1,975 2,233 2,285 
			 Tameside 1,995 2,218 2,397 
			 Telford and Wrekin 2,137 2,284 2,428 
			 Thurrock 2,217 2,390 2,586 
			 Torbay 2,049 2,232 2,391 
			 Tower Hamlets 3,044 3,595 3,858 
			 Trafford 2,044 2,220 2,397 
			 Wakefield 1,893 2,169 2,349 
			 Walsall 2,127 2,300 2,456 
			 Waltham Forest 2,652 2,896 3,201 
			 Wandsworth 2,801 3,080 3,302 
			 Warrington 2,044 2,219 2,351 
			 Warwickshire 2,069 2,266 2,382 
			 West Berkshire 2,163 2,376 2,518 
			 West Sussex 2,148 2,293 2,510 
			 Westminster 2,816 3,288 3,622 
			 Wigan 2,160 2,349 2,505 
			 Wiltshire 2,026 2,185 2,260 
			 Windsor and Maidenhead 2,174 2,386 2,548 
			 Wirral 2,091 2,279 2,542 
			 Wokingham 2,099 2,282 2,424 
			 Wolverhampton 2,204 2,389 2,566 
			 Worcestershire 1,966 2,167 2,301 
			 York 2,102 2,256 2,399 
			 England 2,162 2,373 2,546

Special Educational Needs

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many children received a statement of special educational needs in (a) Nottinghamshire and (b) England in the last year.

Stephen Timms: The numbers of children for whom statements were newly made in 1999 in Nottinghamshire LEA and England were 121 and 37,077 respectively.
	Information for the calendar year 2000 will be available in the Statistical Bulletin Special Educational Needs in England: January 2001 due to be published in November 2001.

School Sports

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what action is being taken to increase the level of (a) curricular and (b) extra curricular sports activities in schools.

Stephen Timms: holding answer 23 October 2001
	The White Paper: Schools: achieving success sets out our commitment to physical education and school sport. We have pledged that all children will be entitled to two hours of high quality PE and school sport, within and beyond the curriculum. To help deliver this, we have 333 School Sport Co-ordinators (of a total of 1,000) in place who are working to increase the quality and quantity of after-school sport and inter-school competition in their areas and to enhance links between the schools and their communities. 150 million has been committed to rebuild primary school sports and arts facilities, and a further 581 million will be used to improve both primary and secondary schools sports facilities in every local education authority.
	Sport is the most popular after-school activity among pupils at Key Stages 2 and 3 (over a third of pupils involved at KS2, a quarter at KS3), and the second most frequent at Key Stage 4. 160 million is available through the New Opportunities Fund and nearly 70 million through the Standards Fund this year for study support projects, with a further 75 million available in 200203.
	We are looking at ways in which we can build on these initiatives to increase the support we give to PE and school sport within and outside the curriculum.

Emergency Contraception

Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, pursuant to her written answer of 16 October 2001, Official Report, column 1188W, on the morning- after pill, (a) how many times school nurses have issued emergency contraception and (b) how many girls have been given emergency contraception by school nurses, broken down by the age of the girl.

Stephen Timms: The information requested is not held centrally.

Blenheim High School

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will make a statement on the discussions that have taken place between Department officials, Surrey county council and Blenheim high school in Epsom about funding the future expansion of the school.

Stephen Timms: Following the decision to end grant maintained status, and after consultation with external partners, transitional regulations were put in place to fund capital work at grant maintained schools where obligations had been entered into or decisions taken by the Funding Agency for Schools or the Secretary of State before 1 September 1999. These transitional regulations enabled the Department to meet outstanding commitments for capital funding approved before this date.
	Officials visited Blenheim high school in Epsom with a representative from Surrey local education authority on 1 August 2001. It was agreed that any shortfall in accommodation needed to implement the proposals published by the Funding Agency for Schools for the establishment of the school could be funded under the transitional regulations. Surrey local education authority has now provided details of its view of the shortfall and a proposal to address this. The proposal is currently being considered by the Department.
	In addition to the possible shortfall in funding by the Funding Agency for Schools, proposed further future expansion of the school is the subject of an application for additional places made by Surrey local education authority in the current schools capital allocation round. Decisions will be announced by the Department in December 2001.

Teachers (Disabilities)

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many teachers with disabilities have entered the profession in each of the last three years for which figures are available.

Stephen Timms: The information requested is not held centrally.

School Bus Travel

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans she has for the introduction of (a) free school bus travel and (b) school busing.

Stephen Timms: Approximately 800,000 pupils in England receive free transport to and from school every day; that is virtually 100 per cent. take up by those entitled. This is provided by local education authorities either contracting dedicated school buses, or by providing pupils with travel passes that enable them to use scheduled public transport.
	Free transport is always necessary for a pupil of compulsory school age who attends the nearest suitable school if it is beyond statutory walking distance. Statutory walking distances are two miles for pupils aged under eight and three miles for those aged eight and over. LEAs may help in other cases if they wish, but it is for each authority to decide whether or not to do so.
	These arrangements have been in place for many years and we have no plans to change them.

School Counselling Services

Debra Shipley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what guidance is provided for head teachers and school governors on the provision of counselling services based in schools.

Stephen Timms: We very much recognise the benefit of counselling for pupils facing specific difficulties, although we have not issued guidance to head teachers and governors on the provision of counselling services in schools. Schools can contact their local education authority for information about local services.
	The Department's latest guidance on mental health mentioned school-based counselling, and highlighting the importance of pupils' emotional well-being is a key aspect of the national healthy school standard. In addition, learning mentors and Connexions personal advisers in schools look at young people's concerns, work with them to identify solutions, and where necessary access specialist help to allow them to overcome barriers to learning.
	We recognise that recent international events may have caused pupils to become anxious or frightened. We are currently finalising new guidance which will advise schools to look for signs of stress or unease in children and, where appropriate, arrange counselling with a suitably qualified person.

Teachers (Maintained Schools)

Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what estimate she has made of the number of teachers in maintained schools who left their employment at a school during the course of each of the last four academic years.

Stephen Timms: holding answer 15 October 2001
	Teachers who left service in the maintained schools sector in England are as follows:
	
		
			  Leavers in the year prior to:  
			March 1997 March 1998 March 1999 (7)March 2000 
		
		
			 Retired 16,800 16,600 8,000 8,800 
			 Left service for reasons other than retirement 18,900 22,600 23,700 26,200 
			  
			 Total leavers 35,700 39,200 31,700 35,000 
		
	
	(7) Provisional
	The most recent data available are for March 2000.
	Some teachers who left service will return after a career break.

Refurbishment Projects

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what (a) building and (b) refurbishment projects are planned by her Department in (i) the current year and (ii) the next financial year; and what the costs will be of each project.

Ivan Lewis: Two of the non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) sponsored by the Department, namely the Learning and Skills Council and the National College of School Leadership, are involved in new building projects and the expected cost of each over the next two years is as follows:
	The Learning and Skills Council
	Current year 325,000
	Next year 4.55 million
	The National College for School Leadership
	16.5 million across two years.

Departmental Properties

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will list the number, value and location of properties newly leased in each of the last five years by her Department, including and distinguishing between the Department itself, its next step agencies and its non-departmental public bodies, differentiating between purchases made as a result of the creation of new bodies and those purchases made by established bodies.

Ivan Lewis: The number, value and location of properties newly leased by the Department in the last five years are listed in the following table:
	
		
			 Year No. Value () Location Departmental/non-departmental public bodies Reason for purchase (creation of new bodies/by established bodies) 
		
		
			 199697 Nil 
			   
			 199798 Nil 
			   
			 199899 1 113,594.00 Oxford Training Standards Council New 
			 Total  113,594.00
			   
			 19992000 6 200,000.00 London Departmental Established 
			   73,493.00 London General Teaching Council New 
			   203,650.00 Manchester Disability Rights Commission New 
			   63,280.00 Edinburgh Disability Rights Commission New 
			   100,000.00 Glasgow Student Loans Company Ltd New 
			   2,200,000.00 London Qualifications and Curriculum Authority New 
			 Total  2,840,423.00
			   
			 200001 50 223,272.00 Birmingham General Teaching Council New 
			   43,816.00 Cardiff Disability Rights Commission New 
			   47,684.00 Coventry Adult Learning Inspectorate New 
			   100,829.00 Nottingham National Council for Schools Leadership New 
			   102,000.00 Bedford Learning and Skills Council New 
			   185,000.00 Birmingham Learning and Skills Council New 
			   143,650.00 Bournemouth Learning and Skills Council New 
			   131,698.00 Peterborough Learning and Skills Council New 
			   125,000.00 Middlewich Learning and Skills Council New 
			   157,208.00 Coventry Learning and Skills Council New 
			   49,900.00 Workington Learning and Skills Council New 
			   125,000.00 Derby Learning and Skills Council New 
			   165,000.00 Plymouth Learning and Skills Council New 
			   50,400.00 Truro Learning and Skills Council New 
			   288,276.00 Chelmsford Learning and Skills Council New 
			   149,490.00 Gloucester Learning and Skills Council New 
			   340,000.00 Manchester Learning and Skills Council New 
			   220,000.00 Liverpool Learning and Skills Council New 
			   123,675.00 Fareham Learning and Skills Council New 
			   60,192.00 Newport, IOW Learning and Skills Council New 
			   760,000.00 St. Albans Learning and Skills Council New 
			  
			   155,000.00 Hull Learning and Skills Council New 
			   401,875.00 West Malling Learning and Skills Council New 
			   170,000.00 Preston Learning and Skills Council New 
			   170,885.00 Leicester Learning and Skills Council New 
			   68,500.00 Lincoln Learning and Skills Council New 
			   334,000.00 London, Camden Learning and Skills Council New 
			   320,000.00 London, Stratford Learning and Skills Council New 
			   292,110.00 London, Palmers Green Learning and Skills Council New 
			   254,400.00 London, Croyden Learning and Skills Council New 
			   389,356.00 London, Hounslow Learning and Skills Council New 
			   202,000.00 Abingdon Learning and Skills Council New 
			   261,000.00 Norwich Learning and Skills Council New 
			   132,250.00 York Learning and Skills Council New 
			   51,600.00 Cramlington Learning and Skills Council New 
			   143,750.00 Nottingham Learning and Skills Council New 
			   61,040.00 Telford Learning and Skills Council New 
			   219,779.00 Sheffield Learning and Skills Council New 
			   120,000.00 Stoke on Trent Learning and Skills Council New 
			   88,685.00 Ipswich Learning and Skills Council New 
			   198,416.00 Woking Learning and Skills Council New 
			   293,500.00 Brighton Learning and Skills Council New 
			   116,500.00 Middlesborough Learning and Skills Council New 
			   106,005.00 Oldbury, W Mids Learning and Skills Council New 
			   175,590.00 Gateshead Learning and Skills Council New 
			   260,760.00 Bristol Learning and Skills Council New 
			   395,000.00 Bradford Learning and Skills Council New 
			   180,310.00 Swindon Learning and Skills Council New 
			   474,895.00 Reading Learning and Skills Council New 
			   85,500.00 Newton Aycliffe Learning and Skills Council New 
			 Total  9,714,796.00

Sixth Form Funding

Peter Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will publish the formula used to calculate the new funding arrangement for school sixth forms in (a) Worcestershire and (b) other shire counties for 200203.

Ivan Lewis: holding answer 25 October 2001
	This is a matter for the Learning and Skills Council. I have therefore asked John Harwood, the Council's chief executive to write to the hon. Member with the information requested and to place a copy of his reply in the Library.

Teacher Salaries

Jenny Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will take steps to ensure that the UK upper secondary school teachers starting salary meets the OECD mean average; and if she will make a statement.

Stephen Timms: holding answer 26 October 2001
	School teachers' pay is based on recommendations made by the independent School Teachers' Review Body. They will take account of all relevant factors before recommending any changes. We consult all key stakeholders, including trade unions and employer representatives, before implementing changes.

State and Independent Schools (Shared Facilities)

Kevin McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what measures she has introduced to encourage the sharing of facilities between state and independent schools; and what assessment she has made of the impact of these measures.

Stephen Timms: Our independent/state school partnerships programme promotes collaborative working between the independent and maintained school sectors. Over 150 projects, involving over 500 schools and 50,000 pupils, have received a total of 3 million since 1998. Each project is different and individual projects have covered most areas of the curriculum and included a wide range of different schools. Some projects encourage schools to share facilities. An external evaluation of the programme by Leeds University school of education in 1999 found that it was achieving its objectives and contributing to raising standards in a cost-effective way.

Worcestershire Local Education Authority

Peter Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans she has to make special additional payments to the Worcestershire local education authority for the 200203 financial year.

Stephen Timms: holding answer 22 October 2001
	Worcestershire local education authority will benefit from the general increases in funding for 200203: a 6 per cent. increase in education standard spending; a further 85 million in standards fund grant; and a 2.75 per cent. increase in the direct grants to schools. We have no current plans to make payments in addition to these general increases.

Teacher Training

Kevin McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what extra training has been made available for teachers intending to teach one of the new vocational GCSEs.

Stephen Timms: A comprehensive training and support programme, due to be launched through a series of regional conferences, will be available to ensure teachers are well-prepared for, and supported during, the delivery of the new GCSEs.

Teacher Training

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many post-graduate teacher training places were available in each of the years (a) 199798, (b) 199899, (c) 19992000 and (d) 200001 for each secondary age subject; how many of the places were filled in each subject area; how many students failed to complete the course; and how many students commenced teaching in the year they qualified.

Stephen Timms: holding answer 19 October 2001
	The number of post-graduate initial teacher training places in secondary subjects that were available in England in each of the four years was as follows:
	
		
			   199798 199899 19992000 200001 
		
		
			 Mathematics 2,247 2,126 1,710 1,876 
			 English 2,159 2,259 1,961 1,971 
			 Science 3,304 3,013 2,383 2,686 
			 MFL 2,368 2,301 2,102 2,051 
			 Technology 3,093 2,874 2,837 2,137 
			 History 928 900 797 920 
			 Geography 930 999 1,046 1,090 
			 Physical Education 1,563 1,450 1,048 1,192 
			 Art 962 1,101 957 863 
			 Music 605 600 585 636 
			 Religious Education 685 752 625 655 
			 Other 325 508 539 534 
			  
			 Total secondary 19,169 18,883 16,590 16,611 
		
	
	Source:
	Teacher Training Agency (TTA)
	Trainees that started post-graduate initial teacher training (places filled) in secondary subjects in England in the years 199798 to 200001 were as follows.
	
		
			   199798 199899 19992000 200001 
		
		
			 Maths 1,178 928 1,109 1,143 
			 English 2,083 1,980 1,883 1,913 
			 Science 2,438 2,058 2,149 2,222 
			 Modern Foreign Languages 1,734 1,606 1,431 1,612 
			 Technology 1,186 1,083 1,192 1,469 
			  
			 History 964 898 816 913 
			 Geography 834 734 841 881 
			 PE 763 690 525 612 
			 Art 896 896 785 844 
			 Music 448 462 480 532 
			 RE 602 603 515 564 
			 Other 297 356 283 319 
			  
			 Total secondary 13,423 12,294 12,009 13,024 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. English includes drama
	2. Technology includes design and technology, ICT and business studies
	3. Other includes economics, classics, other social sciences and other subjects
	Source:
	Teacher Training Agency, Survey of ITT Providers
	Further places were available on employment-based routes for graduate trainees. The Government do not set targets by phase or subject for the numbers of places available to employment-based training in England. The numbers of graduate trainees starting employment-based training in England were as follows:
	
		
			   199798 199899 19992000 200001 
		
		
			 Maths 10 32 71 112 
			 English 38 50 77 154 
			 Science 17 29 62 165 
			 Modern Foreign Languages 41 63 62 145 
			 Technology 50 61 56 167 
			 History 8 7 12 34 
			 Geography 4 2 7 21 
			 PE 9 9 14 36 
			 Art 10 8 9 17 
			 Music 16 23 20 48 
			 RE 11 16 15 38 
			 Other 21 11 14 20 
			  
			 Total secondary 235 311 419 957 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. The table shows entrants to the Graduate Teacher Programme: and the former Overseas Teacher and Licensed Teacher Schemes
	2. English includes drama and performing arts
	PE includes dance
	3. Other includes economics, classics, other social sciences and other subjects
	Source:
	Teacher Training Agency
	The number of students who failed to complete the course is not collected centrally.
	The following table presents the numbers that entered teaching in maintained schools in England by March following the year in which they gained qualified teacher status (QTS), by secondary subject.
	
		
			   ITT completers ITT completers in service at the following March In service at March as percentage of previous year's completers  
			   1997 1998 1999 1998 1999 2000 1998 1999 2000 
		
		
			 Mathematics 2,035 1,767 1,694 1,354 1,225 1,253 67% 69% 74% 
			 English 4,247 4,170 4,244 3,087 2,931 3,165 73% 70% 75% 
			 Science 3,457 3,203 3,028 2,230 2,073 2,129 65% 65% 70% 
			 MFL 1,573 1,563 1,456 1,034 1,012 961 66% 65% 66% 
			 Technology 1,748 1,518 1,356 1,118 934 909 64% 62% 67% 
			 History 1,783 1,618 1,554 1,162 1,017 1,037 65% 63% 67% 
			 Geography 1,659 1,527 1,396 1,124 951 929 68% 62% 67% 
			 PE 1,939 1,865 1,764 1,212 1,118 1,138 63% 60% 65% 
			 Art 1,571 1,442 1,507 966 848 952 61% 59% 63% 
			 Music 805 726 819 569 507 608 71% 70% 74% 
			 RE 1,030 965 1,001 702 692 717 68% 72% 72% 
			  
			 Other 4,301 4,437 4,314 3,169 3,318 3,268 74% 75% 76% 
			   
			 Total Secondary 26,148 24,801 24,133 17,727 16,626 17,066 68% 67% 71% 
		
	
	Note:
	Subjects relate to the first subject of ITT qualification
	Source:
	Database of Teacher Records

Teacher Training

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many trainees commenced the graduate training programme and registered training programme in (a) primary and (b) secondary schools in (i) September 1999, (ii) January 2000, (iii) April 2000, (iv) September 2000, (v) January 2001 and (vi) April 2001; and what subjects they were trained in.

Stephen Timms: The numbers of trainees starting the Graduate Teacher and Registered Teacher Programmes in England are shown in the table. Trainees in secondary schools are shown by the subject they trained in.
	
		Recruitment to the Graduate Teacher(8) and Registered Teacher ProgrammesSeptember 1999 to April 2001
		
			   19992000 200001  
			   September January April Total September January April Total 
		
		
			 Primary 123 195 175 493 370 292 252 914 
			 Secondary 
			 Maths 24 15 34 73 38 41 33 112 
			 English 20 17 43 80 40 72 44 156 
			 Science 25 12 25 62 67 51 49 167 
			 MFL 10 17 36 63 70 38 37 145 
			 Technology 15 12 34 61 48 65 57 170 
			 History 6 2 4 12 8 16 10 34 
			 Geography - 2 5 7 10 5 6 21 
			 PE 7 2 7 16 9 13 15 37 
			 Art 3 2 4 9 7 6 4 17 
			 Music 12 4 4 20 15 18 15 48 
			 RE 4 5 6 15 15 10 13 38 
			 Other 4 4 6 14 5 6 9 20 
			 Total secondary 130 94 208 432 332 341 292 965 
			  
			 Overall total 253 289 383 925 702 633 544 1,879 
		
	
	Note:
	Including participants in the overseas-trained teacher scheme from 200001
	Source:
	Teacher Training Agency

Teacher Training

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many undergraduates have started full- time teacher training courses each year since September 1998 broken down by subject.

Stephen Timms: The number of people recruited on to full-time undergraduate initial teacher training (ITT) in England for each year since 199899 are presented in the following table:
	
		
			  Academic year  
			 Primary/Secondary/Phase subject  199899 19992000 200001 
		
		
			 Primary
			 Primary 6,694 6,689 6,564 
			 
			 Secondary
			 Mathematics 192 198 147 
			 English 153 149 116 
			 Science 221 223 191 
			 Modern Foreign Languages 51 38 23 
			 Technology 599 518 385 
			 History 0 0 0 
			 Geography 13 30 18 
			 Physical Education 801 666 593 
			 Art 7 20 7 
			 Music 31 38 28 
			 Religious Education 17 14 9 
			  
			 Other 0 0 0 
			  
			 Total secondary 2,085 1,894 1,517 
		
	
	Source:
	Teacher Training Agency (TTA)

Asset Management Plans

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when the results of the local authority Asset Management Plans will be published.

Stephen Timms: The Department will be publishing in November analyses of premises information drawn from LEAs' Asset Management Plans.

Special Schools

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what proportion of pupils with special educational needs attended or are attending special schools in (a) 1995, (b) 1996, (c)1997, (d) 1998, (e) 1999, (f) 2000 and (g) 2001.

Stephen Timms: The information requested is shown in the table.
	
		Proportion(8) of pupils with statements of special educational needs (SEN) attending special schools in England, 19952001(9)
		
			  Position in January each year Maintained special schools Non-maintained special schools 
		
		
			 1995 40.6 2.4 
			 1996 38.5 2.2 
			 1997 37.2 2.1 
			 1998 36.3 1.9 
			 1999 35.2 1.8 
			 2001(9) 34.4 1.8 
			  33.9 1.7 
		
	
	(8) The number of pupils with statements expressed as a percentage of the number of pupils with statements in all schools.
	(9) Estimates have been made for January 2001 because the data for SEN are known to be incomplete.
	Source:
	Annual Schools' Census

Special Schools

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if any special schools have notified her Department that they are under immediate threat of closure.

Stephen Timms: holding answer 19 October 2001
	The Department has no record of any special school notifying it that they are under immediate threat of closure.
	Under arrangements introduced in the School Standards and Framework Act 1998, decisions on statutory proposals for the reorganisation of special schools are now a matter for each local education authority's school organisation committee. However, the Department often does receive representations from schools, parents and others when local education authorities are considering special school reorganisations.

Teacher Recruitment

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many extra full-time qualified teachers have been recruited into the profession since 1997.

Stephen Timms: holding answer 19 October 2001
	The number of full-time qualified regular teachers in the maintained schools sector in England increased by 3,650 between January 1997 and January 2001. Full-time and part-time qualified regular teachers rose by 8,310 (fte) during the same period.

Teacher Recruitment

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if the Government will provide additional financial support to Surrey county council to help it to tackle teacher shortages.

Stephen Timms: The Government have put in place a 33 million recruitment and retention fund to help schools to put in place local recruitment and retention initiatives. In 200001, Surrey received 650,000 from the recruitment and retention fund. We are currently working on the allocation of funding for 200203 and will make an announcement in due course.

Teacher Vacancies

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many teaching places in the United Kingdom are vacant.

Stephen Timms: In January 2001, local authorities reported that there were 4,980 vacancies for full-time teachers in the maintained schools sector in England.
	Responses to a sample survey of schools conducted by my Department in September 2001 indicated that there were about 2,000 vacancies in maintained nursery, primary and secondary schools in England, the comparable January figure was 4,700.
	The supply of teachers in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland is the responsibility of the devolved Administrations for those countries.
	The figures quoted from both sources use the standard DfES definition of a teacher vacancy, which excludes posts filled by a full-time teacher on a contract of one term or more.

Teacher Vacancies

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many teacher vacancies there were in (a) primary and (b) secondary schools across the country in September.

Stephen Timms: holding answer 19 October 2001
	There were about 1,000 (0.6 per cent.) full-time teacher vacancies in maintained nursery and primary schools, and about 1,000 (0.6 per cent.) in maintained secondary schools in England in early September 2001.
	These figures were obtained from a telephone survey of nearly 1,500 schools conducted by DfES. Teacher vacancies are measured using the standard DfES definition, which excludes posts filled by a full-time teacher on a contract of one term or more.
	The survey shows that the vacancies in secondary schools were similar to those recorded in a telephone survey of a sample of secondary schools in September 2000.

Specialist Schools

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of children attending (a) language, (b) sports, (c) technology and (d) arts specialist schools have SEN statements.

Stephen Timms: The latest year for which we have complete special educational needs data is January 2000.
	Special educational needs data for January 2001 are incomplete.
	
		Percentage of pupils with statements of special educational needs, January 2000
		
			  Schools designated as specialist as at September 2001 
		
		
			 Language specialist schools 1.7 
			 Sports specialist schools 3.0 
			 Technology specialist schools 2.6 
			 Arts specialist schools 2.6

Classroom Assistants

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many classroom assistants are employed in primary schools in England and Wales; and what proportion have formal qualifications.

Stephen Timms: In January 2001 there were 63,176 full- time equivalent teaching assistants employed in maintained primary schools in England. Information on formal qualifications of teaching assistants is not collected centrally.
	For information on teaching assistants in Wales, I refer the hon. Member to the National Assembly for Wales.

School Funding

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what is the average amount of funding per student received by (a) specialist schools and (b) community schools, in the current academic year.

Stephen Timms: holding answer 19 October 2001
	Information about funding of pupils is not collected separately for specialist and community schools. Specialist schools receive additional grant of 123 per pupil per year up to 1,000 pupils and for pupil numbers above 1,200.

Catch-up Provision

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  if she will publish an analysis of findings from the Government's pilot programmes of catch-up provision and summer schools;
	(2)  what changes have been made to the Government's strategy for 11 to 14-year-olds in the light of findings from the pilot programmes on catch-up provision;
	(3)  what percentage of children who took part in the Government's pilot programmes of catch-up provision achieved level 4 in key stage 2 tests at the end of the programme;
	(4)  what assessment she has made of the findings of the pilot programmes of catch-up provision for those children who do not achieve level 4 at key stage 2.

Stephen Timms: holding answer 19 October 2001
	All 205 pilot schools used the year 7 progress tests in English and mathematics this year. Our initial analysis confirms that there is still further work to do with children who need additional help: 29 per cent. of eligible pupils who sat the test attained level 4 in English, and 11 per cent. in mathematics.
	We are looking in more detail at the results of the pilot schools. We will also have Ofsted's report on the first year of the key stage 3 pilot in November. On the basis of these findings, we will be in a position to decide what, if any, changes should be made to the strategy.

Advanced Skills Teachers

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many advanced skills teachers are working in primary, secondary and special schools, or are centrally employed broken down by subject.

Stephen Timms: Advanced skills teachers in post in the maintained schools sector in England in January 2001 by phase and main teaching subject were as follows:
	
		
			   Primary Secondary Special Total 
		
		
			 Primary Curriculum 30 (10) (10) 30 
			 Mathematics 10 40 (10) 50 
			 Information technology 10 10 (10) 20 
			 Science 10 60 (10) 70 
			 Modern foreign languages (10) 30 (10) 30 
			 English 10 40 (10) 60 
			 Drama (10) 10 (10) 10 
			 History (10) 10 (10) 10 
			 Geography (10) 20 (10) 20 
			 Religious education (10) 10 (10) 10 
			 Design and technology (10) 30 (10) 30 
			 Art (10) 10 (10) 10 
			 Music (10) 10 (10) 20 
			 Physical education (10) 10 (10) 10 
			 Special Educational Needs 10 10 10 20 
			 Humanities (10) 10 (10) 10 
			 Early years 10 (10) (10) 10 
			 Personal, Social and Health Education (10) (10) (10) 10 
			 Other and combined subjects 50 50 10 110 
			 No subject specialism recorded 10 20 (10) 30 
			  
			 Total 160 380 20 560 
		
	
	(10) Less than five
	Notes:
	1. Totals may not appear to equal the sum of their component parts due to rounding
	2. All figures have been rounded to the nearest 10
	Since AST assessments resumed in April 2001 a further 361 teachers have been successfully assessed as ASTs, 142 for primary schools, 200 for secondary schools and 19 for special schools.

Teacher Statistics

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many (a) full and (b) part-time overseas teachers were employed in (i) primary, (ii) secondary and (iii) special schools in each of the last four years for which figures are available.

Stephen Timms: The information requested is not held centrally.

Illiteracy

Hywel Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many people are illiterate in (a) Wales and (b) England.

John Healey: Lord Moser's 1999 report, A Fresh Start, notes that perhaps as many as 7 million people (roughly one in five adults) in England have difficulties with functional literacy and numeracy. These adults have a wide range of needs, varying from those who cannot read and write or perform the simplest calculations, to those who simply need to brush up rusty skills. We are commissioning a new survey next year to provide an up-to-date assessment of the scale of basic skills need in England.
	The Government have recognised the vital importance to individuals and the economy of improving adult basic skills. The national strategy for improving adult literacy and numeracy skills, Skills for Life, was launched in March this year by the Prime Minister. Our target is to improve the literacy and numeracy skills of 750,000 adults by 2004.
	Literacy in Wales is a matter for the Welsh Assembly.

Devolved Administrations

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what her policy is with regard to (a) ministers and (b) officials in her Department giving evidence to (i) Scottish Parliament, (ii) Welsh Assembly and (iii) Northern Ireland Assembly committees; and to what categories of document she gives (A) full access, (B) restricted access and (C) no access to (1) Scottish parliament, (2) Welsh Assembly, (3) Northern Ireland Assembly and (4) House of Commons Select committees.

Ivan Lewis: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 15 October 2001, Official Report, columns 100405W by my hon. Friend the Minister of State, Cabinet Office.

Civil Servants (Retirement Age)

Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will list the compulsory retirement ages which apply to employees of her Department and of executive agencies and other public sector bodies for which it is responsible, broken down by grade or job title.

Ivan Lewis: Within my Department, all staff below the Senior Civil Service can choose when they retire between age 60 up to a maximum retirement age of 65. This is subject to satisfying fitness and efficiency requirements. Staff in the Senior Civil Service grades retire at age 60.
	In executive non-departmental public bodies sponsored by my Department, normal retirement ages are:
	age 60 for the Adult Learning Inspectorate, the Learning and Skills Council, and the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority;
	age 65 for the Construction Industry Training Board, Engineering Construction Industry Training Board, Higher Education Funding Council for England, Investors in People UK Ltd. and the National College for School Leadership;
	age 63 for the Student Loans Company;
	age 65 for staff who are members of the London Pension Fund Authority in the British Educational and Communications Technology Agency, and age 60 for those who are members of the Teachers Pension Scheme; and
	for the Teacher Training Agency, retirement age depends on individual contracts.